United States Foreign Assistance Programs: The Requirement of Metrics for Security Assistance and Security Cooperation Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania , Slovakia, and Slovenia. 26 The seven PfP Eastern European countries, as...The Soviet experience has left an indelible mark in Ukrainian “identity, politics, economics and even religion ”127 and this experience looms large in...from Tsarist Russia to the Soviet Union from 1918 to 1921.186 The Russian and Soviet influences, along with previous Persian and Ottoman cultures

Eye healthcare services in eastern Europe: Part 2. Vitreoretinal surgical services.

PubMed

Kocur, I; Resnikoff, S; Foster, A

2002-08-01

To describe vitreoretinal surgical services in 1998 in 12 eastern European countries and to identify ways for their further improvement. All inpatient eye departments in the 12 countries received a standardised questionnaire; the data obtained were processed at the international study coordinating centre in Prague. All 458 eye departments in the region were involved. The number of retinal detachments treated by extraocular surgery, or pars plana vitrectomy, per one million inhabitants respectively, were as follows: Belarus (52; 6), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (21; 2), Bulgaria (39; 19), the Czech Republic (78; 40), Estonia (60; 17), Hungary (81; 88), Latvia (82; 36), Lithuania (68; 6), Trans-Dniester Region of Moldova (6; -), Poland (70; data not available), Romania (24; 25), and Slovakia (67; 55). The number of people per one retinal laser was assessed (in millions): Belarus (1.26), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2.23), Bulgaria (0.59), the Czech Republic (0.22), Estonia (0.24), Hungary (0.23), Latvia (0.41), Lithuania (0.62), Poland (0.36), Romania (2.25), and Slovakia (0.14). Conditions for posterior eye segment surgery in the central and eastern European region vary substantially. Underserved regions require (1) more eye doctors trained in surgical and laser retinal treatment; (2) improvement in screening for diabetic eye complications and retinopathy of prematurity; (3) technical equipment for places in need.

Eye healthcare services in eastern Europe: Part 2 Vitreoretinal surgical services

PubMed Central

Kocur, I; Resnikoff, S; Foster, A

2002-01-01

Aim: To describe vitreoretinal surgical services in 1998 in 12 eastern European countries and to identify ways for their further improvement. Methods: All inpatient eye departments in the 12 countries received a standardised questionnaire; the data obtained were processed at the international study coordinating centre in Prague. Results: All 458 eye departments in the region were involved. The number of retinal detachments treated by extraocular surgery, or pars plana vitrectomy, per one million inhabitants respectively, were as follows: Belarus (52; 6), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (21; 2), Bulgaria (39; 19), the Czech Republic (78; 40), Estonia (60; 17), Hungary (81; 88), Latvia (82; 36), Lithuania (68; 6), Trans-Dniester Region of Moldova (6; –), Poland (70; data not available), Romania (24; 25), and Slovakia (67; 55). The number of people per one retinal laser was assessed (in millions): Belarus (1.26), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2.23), Bulgaria (0.59), the Czech Republic (0.22), Estonia (0.24), Hungary (0.23), Latvia (0.41), Lithuania (0.62), Poland (0.36), Romania (2.25), and Slovakia (0.14). Conclusions: Conditions for posterior eye segment surgery in the central and eastern European region vary substantially. Underserved regions require (1) more eye doctors trained in surgical and laser retinal treatment; (2) improvement in screening for diabetic eye complications and retinopathy of prematurity; (3) technical equipment for places in need. PMID:12140201

Global Explosive Ordnance Disposal Conference and Exhibition Held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on April 27-30, 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-30

POLICY 24 Kagan ASP Response  21 Jul 08- ARCENT notified by Defense Attaché .  Uzbeks requested three types of equipment: land mine detectors...2 pax) on site.  21 Aug 08- the Training Team (5 pax) with equipment arrived in Uzbekistan.  28 Aug 08 all Uzbek / USEMB objectives were met...Slovakia, Spain, Poland Romania, United Kingdom, United States, Turkey Albania, Croatia Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Czech Latvia, Lithuania

Industry turns its attention south

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marhefka, D.

1997-08-01

The paper discusses the outlook for the gas and oil industries in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Significant foreign investment continues to elude Russia`s oil and gas industry, so the Caspian nations of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are picking up the slack, welcoming the flow of foreign capital to their energy projects. Separate evaluations are given for Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Serbia.

Surveillance of pneumococcal diseases in Central and Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Ceyhan, Mehmet; Dagan, Ron; Sayiner, Abdullah; Chernyshova, Liudmyla; Dinleyici, Ener Çağrı; Hryniewicz, Waleria; Kulcsár, Andrea; Mad'arová, Lucia; Pazdiora, Petr; Sidorenko, Sergey; Streinu-Cercel, Anca; Tambić-Andrašević, Arjana; Yeraliyeva, Lyazzat

2016-08-02

Pneumococcal infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The burden of disease associated with S. pneumoniae is largely preventable through routine vaccination. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (e.g. PCV7, PCV13) provide protection from invasive pneumococcal disease as well as non-invasive infection (pneumonia, acute otitis media), and decrease vaccine-type nasopharyngeal colonisation, thus reducing transmission to unvaccinated individuals. PCVs have also been shown to reduce the incidence of antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal disease. Surveillance for pneumococcal disease is important to understand local epidemiology, serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance rates. Surveillance systems also help to inform policy development, including vaccine recommendations, and monitor the impact of pneumococcal vaccination. National pneumococcal surveillance systems exist in a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe (such as Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia), and some have introduced PCVs (Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia, Slovakia and Turkey). Those countries without established programs (such as Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine) may be able to learn from the experiences of those with national surveillance systems. The serotype distributions and impact of PCV13 on pediatric pneumococcal diseases are relatively similar in different parts of the world, suggesting that approaches to vaccination used elsewhere are also likely to be effective in Central and Eastern Europe. This article briefly reviews the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease, presents the latest surveillance data from Central and Eastern Europe, and discusses any similarities and differences in these data as well the potential implications for vaccination policies in the region.

Surveillance of pneumococcal diseases in Central and Eastern Europe

PubMed Central

Ceyhan, Mehmet; Dagan, Ron; Sayiner, Abdullah; Chernyshova, Liudmyla; Dinleyici, Ener Çağrı; Hryniewicz, Waleria; Kulcsár, Andrea; Mad'arová, Lucia; Pazdiora, Petr; Sidorenko, Sergey; Streinu-Cercel, Anca; Tambić-Andrašević, Arjana; Yeraliyeva, Lyazzat

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Pneumococcal infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The burden of disease associated with S. pneumoniae is largely preventable through routine vaccination. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (e.g. PCV7, PCV13) provide protection from invasive pneumococcal disease as well as non-invasive infection (pneumonia, acute otitis media), and decrease vaccine-type nasopharyngeal colonisation, thus reducing transmission to unvaccinated individuals. PCVs have also been shown to reduce the incidence of antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal disease. Surveillance for pneumococcal disease is important to understand local epidemiology, serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance rates. Surveillance systems also help to inform policy development, including vaccine recommendations, and monitor the impact of pneumococcal vaccination. National pneumococcal surveillance systems exist in a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe (such as Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia), and some have introduced PCVs (Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia, Slovakia and Turkey). Those countries without established programs (such as Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine) may be able to learn from the experiences of those with national surveillance systems. The serotype distributions and impact of PCV13 on pediatric pneumococcal diseases are relatively similar in different parts of the world, suggesting that approaches to vaccination used elsewhere are also likely to be effective in Central and Eastern Europe. This article briefly reviews the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease, presents the latest surveillance data from Central and Eastern Europe, and discusses any similarities and differences in these data as well the potential implications for vaccination policies in the region. PMID:27096714

Determination of total mercury in aluminium industrial zones and soil contaminated with red mud.

PubMed

Rasulov, Oqil; Zacharová, Andrea; Schwarz, Marián

2017-08-01

This study investigated total mercury contents in areas impacted by aluminium plants in Tajikistan and Slovakia and in one area flooded with red mud in Hungary. We present the first determination of total mercury contents in the near-top soil (0-10 and 10-20 cm) in Tajikistan and the first comparative investigation of Tajikistan-Slovakia-Hungary. The Tajik Aluminium Company (TALCO) is one of the leading producers of primary aluminium in Central Asia. In the past 30 years, the plant has been producing large volumes of industrial waste, resulting in negative impacts on soil, groundwater and air quality of the surrounding region. Mercury concentrations were significant in Slovakia and Hungary, 6 years after the flooding. In studied areas in Slovakia and Hungary, concentrations of total mercury exceeded the threshold limit value (TLV = 0.5 mg Hg kg -1 ). However, in Tajikistan, values were below the TLV (0.006-0.074 mg kg -1 ) and did not significantly vary between depths. Total Hg in Slovakia ranged from 0.057 to 0.668 mg kg -1 and in Hungary from 0.029 to 1.275 mg kg -1 . However, in the plots near to the red mud reservoir and the flooded area, Hg concentrations were higher in the upper layers than in the lower ones.

The effect of protected areas on forest disturbance in the Carpathian Mountains 1985-2010.

PubMed

Butsic, Van; Munteanu, Catalina; Griffiths, Patrick; Knorn, Jan; Radeloff, Volker C; Lieskovský, Juraj; Mueller, Daniel; Kuemmerle, Tobias

2017-06-01

Protected areas are a cornerstone for forest protection, but they are not always effective during times of socioeconomic and institutional crises. The Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe are an ecologically outstanding region, with widespread seminatural and old-growth forest. Since 1990, Carpathian countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine) have experienced economic hardship and institutional changes, including the breakdown of socialism, European Union accession, and a rapid expansion of protected areas. The question is how protected-area effectiveness has varied during these times across the Carpathians given these changes. We analyzed a satellite-based data set of forest disturbance (i.e., forest loss due to harvesting or natural disturbances) from 1985 to 2010 and used matching statistics and a fixed-effects estimator to quantify the effect of protection on forest disturbance. Protected areas in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Ukraine had significantly less deforestation inside protected areas than outside in some periods; the likelihood of disturbance was reduced by 1-5%. The effectiveness of protection increased over time in these countries, whereas the opposite was true in Romania. Older protected areas were most effective in Romania and Hungary, but newer protected areas were more effective in Czech Republic, and Poland. Strict protection (International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN] protection category Ia-II) was not more effective than landscape-level protection (IUCN III-VI). We suggest that the strength of institutions, the differences in forest privatization, forest management, prior distribution of protected areas, and when countries joined the European Union may provide explanations for the strikingly heterogeneous effectiveness patterns among countries. Our results highlight how different the effects of protected areas can be at broad scales, indicating that the effectiveness of protected areas is transitory over time and space and suggesting that generalizations about the effectiveness of protected areas can be misleading. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Inventory of major landscape changes in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovak Republic 1970s - 1990s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feranec, Ján; Šúri, Marcel; Ot'ahel', Ján; Cebecauer, Tomáš; Kolář, Ján; Soukup, Tomáš; Zdeňková, Dagmar; Waszmuth, Jiří; Vâjdea, Vasile; Vîjdea, Anca-Marina; Nitica, Constantin

One of the most important achievements in 1998-1999 of Phare Topic Link on Land Cover has been the development and practical application of a methodological approach to landscape change identification and analysis in the territories of four Phare countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and the Slovak Republic). The changes were identified on a national level from Landsat TM and MSS satellite images by application of the CORINE Land Cover databases for two time horizons (the late 1970s and early 1990s) at the second hierarchic level. Based on identified causality, the landscape changes were grouped into 7 types: intensification of agriculture, extensification of agriculture, urbanisation-industrialisation, enlargement (exhaustion) of natural resources, afforestation, deforestation and other anthropogenic causes. The results of the groupings are presented in the form of contingency tables and maps showing the spatial distribution of the changes. From the point of view of total extent, forest landscape changed the most in the Czech Republic. This change represents a reduction of forest by 167,702 ha and an enlargement of transitional woodland-scrub by about 26,339 ha. In Hungary the most pronounced changes were decrease of forests by 66,622 ha and decrease of arable land, orchards and vineyards by 21,529 ha. The most remarkable changes identified in Romania were decrease of arable land, forests and wetlands by 366,817 ha, 285,887 ha, and 59,967 ha, respectively, as well as enlargement of areas of complex cultivation pattern by almost 347,220 ha. The most pronounced changes in Slovakia were represented by diminution of forest by 94,935 ha and that of heterogeneous agricultural areas by 18,451 ha; enlargement of transitional woodland-scrub areas and urbanised area were about 13,107 ha and 14,990 ha, respectively.

Biological therapy in inflammatory bowel diseases: Access in Central and Eastern Europe

PubMed Central

Rencz, Fanni; Péntek, Márta; Bortlik, Martin; Zagorowicz, Edyta; Hlavaty, Tibor; Śliwczyński, Andrzej; Diculescu, Mihai M; Kupcinskas, Limas; Gecse, Krisztina B; Gulácsi, László; Lakatos, Peter L

2015-01-01

Biological drugs opened up new horizons in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This study focuses on access to biological therapy in IBD patients across 9 selected Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, namely Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Literature data on the epidemiology and disease burden of IBD in CEE countries was systematically reviewed. Moreover, we provide an estimation on prevalence of IBD as well as biological treatment rates. In all countries with the exception of Romania, lower biological treatment rates were observed in ulcerative colitis (UC) compared to Crohn’s disease despite the higher prevalence of UC. Great heterogeneity (up to 96-fold) was found in access to biologicals across the CEE countries. Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic States are lagging behind Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in their access to biologicals. Variations of reimbursement policy may be one of the factors explaining the differences to a certain extent in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, but association with other possible determinants (differences in prevalence and incidence, price of biologicals, total expenditure on health, geographical access, and cost-effectiveness results) was not proven. We assume, nevertheless, that health deterioration linked to IBD might be valued differently against other systemic inflammatory conditions in distinct countries and which may contribute to the immense diversity in the utilization of biological drugs for IBD. In conclusion, access to biologicals varies widely among CEE countries and this difference cannot be explained by epidemiological factors, drug prices or total health expenditure. Changes in reimbursement policy could contribute to better access to biologicals in some countries. PMID:25684937

Access to biologicals in Crohn’s disease in ten European countries

PubMed Central

Péntek, Márta; Lakatos, Peter L; Oorsprong, Talitha; Gulácsi, László; Pavlova, Milena; Groot, Wim; Rencz, Fanni; Brodszky, Valentin; Baji, Petra; Crohn’s Disease Research Group

2017-01-01

AIM To analyze access (availability, affordability and acceptability) to biologicals for Crohn’s disease (CD) in ten European countries and to explore the associations between these dimensions, the uptake of biologicals and economic development. METHODS A questionnaire-based survey combined with desk research was carried out in May 2016. Gastroenterologists from the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden were invited to participate and provide data on the availability of biologicals/biosimilars, reimbursement criteria, clinical practice and prices, and use of biologicals. An availability score was developed to evaluate the restrictiveness of eligibility and administrative criteria applied in the countries. Affordability was defined as the annual cost of treatment as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Correlations with the uptake of biologicals, dimensions of access and GDP per capita were calculated. RESULTS At the time of the survey, infliximab and adalimumab were reimbursed in all ten countries, and vedolizumab was reimbursed in five countries (France, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Sweden). Reimbursement criteria were the least strict in Sweden and Germany, and the strictest in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Between countries, the annual cost of different biological treatments differed 1.6-3.3-fold. Treatments were the most affordable in Sweden (13%-37% of the GDP per capita) and the least affordable in the Central and Eastern European countries, especially in Hungary (87%-124%) and Romania (141%-277%). Biosimilars made treatments more affordable by driving down the annual costs. The number of patients with CD on biologicals per 100000 population was strongly correlated with GDP per capita (0.91), although substantial differences were found in the uptake among countries with similar economic development. Correlation between the number of patients with CD on biologicals per 100000 population and the availability and affordability was also strong (-0.75, -0.69 respectively). CONCLUSION Substantial inequalities in access to biologicals were largely associated with GDP. To explain differences in access among countries with similar development needs further research on acceptance. PMID:28974896

International Forum on Reactor Ageing Management (IFRAM); Proceedings of the European Engagement Workshop held in Petten, The Netherlands, 25th – 27th May 2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martin, Oliver; Bieth, Michel; Bond, Leonard J.

2010-08-14

The report provides the proceedings of the workshop that engaged European representatives to discuss the formation of an International Forum for Reactor Aging Management. There were 29 participants who came from the following countries or international/European Organizations: IAEA, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA and EC/JRC. There was a large variety in types of organisations, i.e. utilities, safety authorities, TVOs and research institutes, providing large variety in the presentations. The meeting supported establishing an IFRAM Global Steering Committee and moving forward with the development of this important network.

Cytogeography of Pilosella officinarum (Compositae): Altitudinal and Longitudinal Differences in Ploidy Level Distribution in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and the General Pattern in Europe

PubMed Central

Mráz, Patrik; Šingliarová, Barbora; Urfus, Tomáš; Krahulec, František

2008-01-01

Background and Aims Pilosella officinarum (syn. Hieracium pilosella) is a highly structured species with respect to the ploidy level, with obvious cytogeographic trends. Previous non-collated data indicated a possible differentiation in the frequency of particular ploidy levels in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Therefore, detailed sampling and ploidy level analyses were assessed to reveal a boundary of common occurrence of tetraploids on one hand and higher ploids on the other. For a better understanding of cytogeographic differentiation of P. officinarum in central Europe, a search was made for a general cytogeographic pattern in Europe based on published data. Methods DNA-ploidy level and/or chromosome number were identified for 1059 plants using flow cytometry and/or chromosome counting on root meristem preparations. Samples were collected from 336 localities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and north-eastern Hungary. In addition, ploidy levels were determined for plants from 18 localities in Bulgaria, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Romania and Ukraine. Key Results Four ploidy levels were found in the studied area with a contrasting pattern of distribution. The most widespread cytotype in the western part of the Czech Republic is tetraploid (4x) reproducing sexually, while the apomictic pentaploids and mostly apomictic hexaploids (5x and 6x, respectively) clearly prevail in Slovakia and the eastern part of the Czech Republic. The boundary between common occurrence of tetraploids and higher ploids is very obvious and represents the geomorphologic boundary between the Bohemian Massif and the Western Carpathians with the adjacent part of Pannonia. Mixed populations consisting of two different ploidy levels were recorded in nearly 11% of localities. A statistically significant difference in a vertical distribution of penta- and hexaploids was observed in the Western Carpathians and the adjacent Pannonian Plain. Hexaploid populations tend to occur at lower elevations (usually below 500 m), while the pentaploid level is more or less evenly distributed up to 1000 m a.s.l. For the first time the heptaploid level (7x) was found on one site in Slovakia. In Europe, the sexual tetraploid level has clearly a sub-Atlantic character of distribution. The plants of higher ploidy level (penta- and hexa-) with mostly apomictic reproduction prevail in the northern part of Scandinavia and the British Isles, the Alps and the Western Carpathians with the adjacent part of Pannonia. A detailed overview of published data shows that extremely rare records on existence of diploid populations in the south-west Alps are with high probability erroneous and most probably refer to the closely related diploid species P. peleteriana. Conclusions The recent distribution of P. officinarum in Europe is complex and probably reflects the climatic changes during the Pleistocene and consequent postglacial migrations. Probably both penta- and hexaploids arose independently in central Europe (Alps and Carpathian Mountains) and in northern Europe (Scandinavia, Great Britain, Ireland), where the apomictic plants colonized deglaciated areas. We suggest that P. officinarum is in fact an amphidiploid species with a basic tetraploid level, which probably originated from hybridizations of diploid taxa from the section Pilosellina. PMID:17998212

Antibiotic stewardship through the EU project "ABS International".

PubMed

Allerberger, Franz; Frank, Annegret; Gareis, Roland

2008-01-01

The increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance requires implementation of antibiotic stewardship (ABS) programs. The project "ABS International--implementing antibiotic strategies for appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals in member states of the European Union" was started in September 2006 in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. A training program for national ABS trainers was prepared and standard templates for ABS tools (antibiotic list, guides for antibiotic treatment and surgical prophylaxis, antibiotic-related organization) and valid process measures, as well as quality indicators for antibiotic use were developed. Specific ABS tools are being implemented in up to five healthcare facilities in each country. Although ABS International clearly focuses on healthcare institutions, future antimicrobial stewardship programs must also cover public education and antibiotic prescribing in primary care.

Incidence and Mortality of Colorectal Cancer and Relationships with the Human Development Index across the World.

PubMed

Rafiemanesh, Hosein; Mohammadian-Hafshejani, Abdollah; Ghoncheh, Mahshid; Sepehri, Zahra; Shamlou, Reza; Salehiniya, Hamid; Towhidi, Farhad; Makhsosi, Behnam Reza

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the standardized incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer and its relationship with the human development index (HDI) across the world in 2012. This ecologic study was conducted for assessment of the correlation between age-specific incidence rate (ASIR) and age-specific mortality rate (ASMR) with HDI and its components. Data for SIR and SMR for every country for the year 2012 were obtained from the global cancer project. We used a bivariate method for assessment of the correlation between SIR and SMR and HDI. Statistical significance was assumed at <0.05. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 22.0, SPSS Inc.). Countries with the highest SIR of colorectal cancer in the world in 2012, were Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Hungary and countries with the highest SMR were Hungary, Croatia and Slovakia. The correlation between SIR of colorectal cancer and the HDI was 0.712 (P≤0.001), with life expectancy at birth 0.513 (P≤0.001), with mean years of schooling 0.641 (P≤0.001) and with level of income per each person of the population 0.514 (P=0.013). In addition, the correlation between SMR of colorectal cancer and the HDI was 0.628 (P≤0.001), with life expectancy at birth 0.469 (P≤0.001), with mean years of schooling 0.592 (P≤0.001) and with level of income per each person of the population 0.378 (P=0.013). The highest SIR and SMR of colorectal cancer was in the WHO Europe region. There was a positive correlation between HDI and SIR and SMR of colorectal cancer.

Model of the porphyry copper and polymetallic vein family of deposits - Applications in Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drew, L.J.

2003-01-01

A tectonic model useful in estimating the occurrence of undiscovered porphyry copper and polymetallic vein systems has been developed. This model is based on the manner in which magmatic and hydrothermal fluids flow and are trapped in fault systems as far-field stress is released in tectonic strain features above subducting plates (e.g. strike-slip fault systems). The structural traps include preferred locations for stock emplacement and tensional-shear fault meshes within the step-overs that localize porphyry- and vein-style deposits. The application of the model is illustrated for the porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits in the Central Slovakian Volcanic Field, Slovakia; the Ma??tra Mountains, Hungary; and the Apuseni Mountains, Romania.

[Environmental protection techniques used in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany].

PubMed

Vasilić, Zelimira

2006-09-01

Within the framework of the programme "Partnership for Sustainable Development" The Ministry of Environment of the German Federal State of Baden-Württemberg has come up with a project "Study Visit--Environmental Protection Techniques". It was intended as a three-week study visit for environmental protection experts from Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) to learn about the environmental protection techniques used in this federal state. Visits were paid to companies producing, applying or installing plants based on the state-of-the-art environmental protection techniques. The project started in 2005 and will last five years. The first visit to Baden-Württemberg was scheduled for 25 September-14 October 2005 for 12 experts from 12 countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.

List of Organizing Committees and Conference Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2012-03-01

Organizers Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering - IFIN HH Romanian Neutron Scattering Society Sponsors Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering - IFIN HH Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry AS CR, Czech Republic Programme Committee Valentin Gordely (chairman)Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia Heinrich StuhrmannGermany Jose TeixeiraLaboratoire Leon Brillouin, France Pavel ApelJoint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia Pavol BalgavyComenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia Alexander BelushkinJoint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia Georg BueldtInstitute of Structural Biology and Biophysics (ISB), Germany Leonid BulavinTaras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine Emil BurzoBabes-Bolyai University, Romania Vadim CherezovThe Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Biology, USA Ion IonitaRomanian Society of Neutron Scattering, Romania Alexei KhokhlovMoscow State University, Russia Aziz MuzafarovInstitute of Synthetic Polymeric Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia Alexander OzerinInstitute of Synthetic Polymeric Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia Gerard PepyResearch Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Hungary Josef PlestilInstitute of Macromolecular Chemistry CAS, Czech Republic Aurel RadulescuJuelich Centre for Neutron Science JCNS, Germany Maria BalasoiuJoint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia Alexander KuklinJoint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia Local Organizing Committee Alexander Kuklin - Chairman Maria Balasoiu - Co-chairman Tatiana Murugova - Secretary Natalia Malysheva Natalia Dokalenko Julia Gorshkova Andrey Rogachev Oleksandr Ivankov Dmitry Soloviev Lilia Anghel Erhan Raul The PDF also contains the Conference Programme.

77 FR 74555 - Importation of Live Swine, Swine Semen, Pork, and Pork Products; Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-17

...-0043] RIN 0579-AD20 Importation of Live Swine, Swine Semen, Pork, and Pork Products; Estonia, Hungary... semen by removing one of the conditions for the importation of swine semen from the APHIS-defined... fever. We have determined that the 40-day holding period for swine semen and donor boars after the...

[Assessment of the pharmaceutical expenditure in Hungary].

PubMed

Inotai, András; Merész, Gergo; Kaló, Zoltán

2010-01-01

Scarcity of health care resources draws attention to the expenditure on pharmaceuticals, as drugs are considered to be one of the major growth drivers of health care spending. This article assesses the Hungarian expenditure on pharmaceuticals by taking into account the economic status of the country and benchmarks from other OECD countries with special focus on indicators of Visegrad V4 countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary). Our results highlight the heterogeneity of pharmaceutical expenditure data derived from different indicators among observed countries. Pharmaceutical spending is relatively higher in middle-income countries, mainly due the price convergence of innovative drug's, on contrary manpower cost of health care services are adjusted to local price levels, therefore the price differential of health care services between middle income and developed countries is greater. International trends of the global pharmaceutical market are also valid in Hungary. Increased private funding, mainly out of pocket payments above the average of V4 countries, has been the major growth driver of pharmaceutical expenditure recently in Hungary. Increased private pharmaceutical expenditure was mainly derived from the severe cost-containment measures in 2006. The annual growth rate of the National Health Insurance Fund's pharmaceutical budget for drug reimbursement was 1.37% in real terms between 1994 and 2009. This is much beneath the expansion of global pharmaceutical market. Consequently, cost-containment of public pharmaceutical spending was very successful in the last fifteen years, and the burden of market growth has been shifted to households. Public health programmes, investment into preventive care, with consideration on unfavourable Hungarian morbidity and mortality indicators, however, necessitate the increase of public pharmaceutical budget. In order to improve the allocative efficiency of health care spending, available resources should be spent only on effective, cost-effective, economically affordable medicines.

Optimization of Antibiotic Use in Hospitals – Antimicrobial Stewardship and the EU Project ABS International

PubMed Central

Allerberger, Franz; Lechner, Arno; Wechsler-Fördös, Agnes; Gareis, Roland

2008-01-01

Background The problem of antimicrobial resistance requires common strategies at the European level. Methods We report on an EU initiative fostering antibiotic (AB) stewardship (ABS) in hospitals. Results The project ‘ABS International: implementing antibiotic strategies for appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals in member states of the EU’ started in September 2006 in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. A training program for national ABS trainers was prepared and standard templates for ABS tools (AB list, guidelines for AB treatment and surgical prophylaxis, and AB-related organization) and valid process measures as well as quality indicators for AB use were developed. Specific ABS tools are being implemented in up to five health care facilities per country. Conclusion ABS International is the first EU-funded initiative focusing on the implementation of structural measures in hospitals to promote the prudent use of ABs. PMID:18667815

Situation Report--Austria, Cameroon, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, German Federal Republic, Greece, Hungary, Irish Republic, Jamaica, Malta, Norway, Sabah, Sarawak, Spain, Tahiti (French Polynesia), Tonga, Turkey, and United Kingdom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in 21 foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Austria, Cameroon, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, German Federal Republic, Greece, Hungary, Irish Republic, Jamaica, Malta, Norway, Sabah, Sarawak, Spain, Tahiti, Tonga, Turkey, and United…

Transmission of tuberculosis among people living in the border areas of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

PubMed

Kozińska, Monika; Zientek, Jerzy; Augustynowicz-Kopeć, Ewa; Zwolska, Zofia; Kozielski, Jerzy

2016-01-01

In 2007, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia joined the Schengen Agreement, abolishing restrictions on people crossing the borders. Currently, these areas are places of population movements for economic, family, and touristic reasons. This favors the transmission of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, and requires enhanced control over the spread of the source of infection in the population of patients living in the border areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic relatedness among Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains isolated from patients living in 3 border areas: Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study group consisted of 209 patients with tuberculosis diagnosed and treated between 2007 and 2011 in health care facilities in the Silesia Province in Poland (121 patients [58%]), Žilina in Slovakia (57 [27%]), and the Moravian-Silesian Region in the Czech Republic (31 [15%]). Genotyping of strains was performed using spoligotyping and IS6110-Mtb1-Mtb2 polymerase chain reaction. Among 209 strains, 23 molecular families (clusters) were identified. Seventeen clusters were identified as national. Six international clusters consisted of 30 strains isolated from patients of various nationalities. We identified 6 potential outbreaks of tuberculosis transmission between patients of different nationalities. The circumstances favorable to potential contacts of patients included mainly travelling to the neighboring countries, hospital stays, and addictions. However, there was no evidence of an epidemiological link between these patients, so it may be assumed that if they had come in contact with one another, it was accidental. We observed that the greater incidence of tuberculosis on the Polish territory did not affect the incidence in the Czech Republic or Slovakia over the analysis period.

VVER Reactor Safety in Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Union

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulou, Demetra

2012-02-01

VVER Soviet-designed reactors that operate in Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics have heightened international concern for years due to major safety deficiencies. The governments of countries with VVER reactors have invested millions of dollars toward improving the safety of their nuclear power plants. Most of these reactors will continue to operate for the foreseeable future since they provide urgently-needed electrical power. Given this situation, this paper assesses the radiological consequences of a major nuclear accident in Eastern Europe. The paper also chronicles the efforts launched by the international nuclear community to improve the safety of the reactors and notes the progress made so far through extensive collaborative efforts in Armenia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine to reduce the risks of nuclear accidents. Western scientific and technical staff collaborated with these countries to improve the safety of their reactor operations by strengthening the ability of the regulator to perform its oversight function, installing safety equipment and technologies, investing time in safety training, and working diligently to establish an enduring safety culture. Still, continued safety improvement efforts are necessary to ensure safe operating practices and achieve timely phase-out of older plants.

Health Economic Data Requirements and Availability in the European Union: Results of a Survey Among 10 European Countries.

PubMed

Skoupá, Jana; Annemans, Lieven; Hájek, Petr

2014-09-01

To compare data requirements and their availability for health economic (HE) evaluations in five countries in Central/Eastern Europe (CEE) (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania) and five countries in Western Europe (WE) (the United Kingdom, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Sweden). A questionnaire was developed and distributed to market access personnel from Pfizer who were asked to complete the questionnaire either from their own knowledge or with support of external experts. The questionnaire focused on the obligation to conduct HE assessment for reimbursement submissions, local HE guidelines, applied discount rates for future costs and effects, willingness-to-pay thresholds, and available data sources. HE is mandatory in all CEE and three WE participating countries for reimbursement applications of innovative drugs. Usually, cost-effectiveness analysis and budget-impact analyses are required. The preferred outcome of cost-effectiveness analysis is quality-adjusted-life years. In Romania, France, and the Czech Republic, guidelines could not be identified at the time of the survey. The applicant usually prepares HE evaluations; in Sweden, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Poland, unlocked models have to be presented for scrutiny. Discount rates vary from 1.5% to 5%, and, usually, is the same for costs and outcomes (except in The Netherlands and Poland). Only the United Kingdom, Poland, and Slovakia have an explicit willingness-to-pay threshold. In Poland, it is based on the gross domestic product per capita, and in Slovakia, it is based on multiples of average monthly salary. Differences were found on data availability. In WE, data can be acquired easier than in CEE. Health insurance funds do not provide their data unless they were published. Patient registries are either not available in CEE or difficult to access, so applicants mostly rely on retrospective medical chart data, hospital information systems, or expert panels. We found similar requirements for HE analyses in CEE and WE but differences in data availability. This results in less accurate inputs across the CEE, influencing analyses' outcomes. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-reported tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccination coverage in Europe: Results from a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Erber, Wilhelm; Schmitt, Heinz-Josef

2018-05-01

Adequate vaccination is effective in preventing tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). A population survey conducted in 2015 in Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden obtained information on TBE vaccination. Respondents answered 10 questions for themselves and household members. Data were weighted according to age and fine-tuned for geographical spread. Across the 10 countries (excluding Poland), TBE awareness was 83%; of all respondents, 68% were aware of TBE vaccines and 25% had ≥1 injections. Vaccination rates were lowest in Finland and Slovakia (∼10%), highest in Austria (85%, results from a separate 2015 survey), and varied widely in Germany. Across the 11 countries (excluding Austria), compliance with vaccination schedule among TBE-vaccinated respondents was 61%; 27% and 15% of respondents received first and second booster injections; strongest motivators for vaccination were fear of TBE (38%) and residence/spending time in high-risk areas (31-35%); main reasons for not receiving vaccination were beliefs that vaccination was unnecessary (33%) and that there was no risk of contracting TBE (23%). TBE vaccine uptake and compliance could be improved with effective public health information to increase TBE awareness and trust in vaccination and by updating recommendations to include all subjects visiting TBE-risk areas. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Logistics Differences within the European Union with Recommendations for Turkey as a Candidate

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

has the largest food and beverages industry in Central Europe. Pharmaceutical production is concentrated in Hungary and Slovakia. Hungary is also...electricity,gas and other fuels Food and non-alcoholic beverages Clothing and footwear EU25 21.3 12.9 6.0 Belgium 23.1 13.7 5.4 Czech...highest amount of money on food and non-alcoholic beverages , while Greece and Italy are the leaders in the clothing and footwear expenditures. B

Fortified Settlements of the 9th and 10th Centuries ad in Central Europe: Structure, Function and Symbolism

PubMed Central

Herold, Hajnalka

2012-01-01

THE STRUCTURE, FUNCTION(S) and symbolism of early medieval (9th–10th centuries ad) fortified settlements from central Europe, in particular today’s Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, are examined in this paper. It offers an overview of the current state of research together with new insights based on analysis of the site of Gars-Thunau in Lower Austria. Special emphasis is given to the position of the fortified sites in the landscape, to the elements of the built environment and their spatial organisation, as well as to graves within the fortified area. The region under study was situated on the SE border of the Carolingian (and later the Ottonian) Empire, with some of the discussed sites lying in the territory of the ‘Great Moravian Empire’ in the 9th and 10th centuries. These sites can therefore provide important comparative data for researchers working in other parts of the Carolingian Empire and neighbouring regions. PMID:23564981

The spatial equity principle in the administrative division of the Central European countries

PubMed Central

Klapka, Pavel; Bačík, Vladimír; Klobučník, Michal

2017-01-01

The paper generally builds on the concept of justice in social science. It attempts to interpret this concept in a geographical and particularly in a spatial context. The paper uses the concept of accessibility to define the principle of spatial equity. The main objective of the paper is to propose an approach with which to assess the level of spatial equity in the administrative division of a territory. In order to fulfil this objective the paper theoretically discusses the concept of spatial equity and relates it to other relevant concepts, such as spatial efficiency. The paper proposes some measures of spatial equity and uses the territory of four Central European countries (Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia) as example of the application of the proposed measures and the corroboration of the proposed approach. The analysis is based on the administrative division of four countries and is carried out at different hierarchical levels as defined by the Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS). PMID:29091953

8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

8 CFR 217.2 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland..., Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden...

Transformation of the Adult Education System in Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Švec, Štefan

1998-07-01

This article examines trends in adult education in Slovakia since it became a separate republic in 1993. Economic and social transformations during this period have led to a re-thinking of the adult education system. The author describes four basic modalities for providing adult education in Slovakia: (1) schools and colleges; (2) cultural centres and similar institutions; (3) institutions for vocational training; (4) voluntary organizations such as trade unions, political parties and ethnic minority groups.

The Natural Experiment: Czecho-Slovak Velvet Divorce.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, Pavel

1993-01-01

Since the "velvet revolution," different educational trends have arisen in Czech and Slovak republics. Slovakia has retained some centralization and state subsidies whereas, in the Czech Republic, education is more open to market forces. (SK)

Urological procedures in Central Europe and the current reality based on the national registries of Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland (2012 status).

PubMed

Adamczyk, Przemysław; Juszczak, Kajetan; Drewa, Tomasz; Hora, Milan; Nyirády, Peter; Sosnowski, Marek

2016-01-01

In recent years, the laparoscopic approach in oncologic urology seems more attractable to the surgeons. It is considered to have the same oncologic quality as open surgery, but is less invasive in patients. It is used widely in all of Europe, but with various frequency. The aim of the study was to present a various amount of oncourological procedures from three neighbouring countries - Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. Prostatectomy, cystectomy, nephrectomy and tumorectomy (Nephron Sparing Procedures - NSS) were presented as a list of procedures prepared from the national registry. The total amount of procedures was presented, as well as the LO (Lap to Open procedures) index, P/P (procedures/population) index, ratio of cystectomy/population, and cystectomy/TURBT. In the Czech Republic, the most complex procedures are performed (laparoscopic/robotic prostatectomy, NSS LAP, LAP nephrectomy) in the majority when analysing the country's population. In Hungary and Czech Republic, there are more laparoscopic/robotic radical prostatectomies performed, than open ones. In Poland the largest number of cystectomies is performed when analysing the country's population, but it is difficult to explain the much higher ratio of 6.57 TUR/one cystectomy. In the Czech Republic this procedure is performed in almost one quarter of the patients (23.36%). Interestingly, in Hungary the cystectomy with pouch creation is performed in about 67.65% cases. The highest reimbursement for surgical procedure is present in the Czech Republic with approximately 20-40% more than when compared to Poland or Hungary. The definitive leader in Central Europe (based on the national registry) is the Czech Republic, where the most complex procedures are performed (laparoscopic/robotic prostatectomy, NSS LAP, LAP nephrectomy) in biggest amounts when analysing the country's population. Explanation of such circumstances, can be the higher reimbursement rate for surgical procedure in this country.

Cryptic species Anopheles daciae (Diptera: Culicidae) found in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

PubMed

Blažejová, Hana; Šebesta, Oldřich; Rettich, František; Mendel, Jan; Čabanová, Viktória; Miterpáková, Martina; Betášová, Lenka; Peško, Juraj; Hubálek, Zdeněk; Kampen, Helge; Rudolf, Ivo

2018-01-01

We report the distribution of mosquitoes of the maculipennis complex in two distinct areas of the Czech Republic (Bohemia and South Moravia) and in one locality of neighbouring Slovakia with emphasis on the detection of the newly described cryptic species Anopheles daciae (Linton, Nicolescu & Harbach, 2004). A total of 691 mosquitoes were analysed using a species-specific multiplex PCR assay to differentiate between the members of the maculipennis complex. In the Czech Republic, we found Anopheles maculipennis (with a prevalence rate of 1.4%), Anopheles messeae (49.0%) and Anopheles daciae (49.6%). In Slovakia, only An. messeae (52.1%) and An. daciae (47.9%) were detected. In this study, An. daciae was documented for the first time in the two countries where it represented a markedly higher proportion of maculipennis complex species (with an overall prevalence almost reaching 50%) in comparison to previous reports from Germany, Romania and Poland. The determination of the differential distribution of maculipennis complex species will contribute to assessing risks of mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria or dirofilariasis.

Inclusive Education in the Slovak Republic Two Decades after the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miškolci, Jozef

2016-01-01

The fall of Communist regime in 1989 and the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993 significantly affected the educational system of today's Slovakia. As a sovereign state, Slovakia has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities obliging its signatories to practise "inclusive education." This article explores the…

Professional Training in Organic Food Production: A Cross-Country Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guiné, Raquel; Costa, Daniela; Correia, Paula; Costa, Cristina; Correia, Helena; Castro, Moises; Guerra, Luis; Seeds, Catherine; Coll, Collette; Radics, Laszlo; Arslan, Meahmet; Soylu, Soner; Tothova, Monika; Toth, Peter; Basile, Salvatore

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to characterize the agricultural activities and past experiences in professional training in the context of mobile learning in different countries (Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Hungary, UK, Italy and Turkey). Design/methodology/approach: For the survey, a questionnaire was prepared in English and Portuguese and…

Joint Force Quarterly. Number 29, Autumn/Winter 2001-02

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

bases acrossIran, the first blow of a protracted war that resulted inover half a million military casualties. The precise reason for Saddam Hussein’s...JFQ 33 FINLAND AUSTRIA ITALY SPAIN SWEDEN NORWAY GERMANY FRANCE PORTUGAL HUNGARY ROMANIA BULGARIA TURKEY DENMARK POLAND BELARUS UKRAINE CZECH REPUBLIC...way back to normalcy. Extending Atlanticism The accession to NATO member- ship of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland marked the definitive end of

The AlpArray Seismic Network: current status and next steps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hetényi, György; Molinari, Irene; Clinton, John; Kissling, Edi

2016-04-01

The AlpArray initiative (http://www.alparray.ethz.ch) is a large-scale European collaboration to study the entire Alpine orogen at high resolution and in 3D with a large variety of geoscientific methods. The core element of the initiative is an extensive and dense broadband seismological network, the AlpArray Seismic Network (AASN), which complements the permanent seismological stations to ensure homogeneous coverage of the greater Alpine area. The some 260 temporary stations of the AlpArray Seismic Network are operated as a joint effort by a number of institutions from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Switzerland. The first stations were installed in Spring 2015 and the full AASN is planned to be operational by early Summer 2016. In this poster we present the actual status of the deployment, the effort undertaken by the contributing groups, station performance, typical noise levels, best practices in installation as well as in data management, often encountered challenges, and planned next steps including the deployment of ocean bottom seismometers in the Ligurian Sea.

The AlpArray Seismic Network: status and operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hetényi, György; Molinari, Irene; Clinton, John; Kissling, Edi

2017-04-01

The AlpArray initiative (http://www.alparray.ethz.ch) is a large-scale European collaboration to study the entire Alpine orogen at high resolution and in 3D with a large variety of geoscientific methods. The core element of the initiative is an extensive and dense broadband seismological network, the AlpArray Seismic Network (AASN). Over 300 temporary stations complement the permanent seismological stations to ensure homogeneous coverage of the greater Alpine area. The AASN has officially started operation in January 2016 and is now complete on land. It is operated in a joint effort by a number of institutions from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Switzerland. In the Ligurian Sea, a 32-station OBS campaign is planned from June 2017 until March 2018. This will complete the coverage of the greater Alpine area at an unprecedented resolution. In this poster we present the actual status of the deployment, the effort undertaken by the contributing groups, station performance, best practices, data management as well as often encountered challenges, and provide a meeting and discussion point during the conference.

Minors and informed consent: a comparative approach.

PubMed

Stultiëns, Loes; Goffin, Tom; Borry, Pascal; Dierickx, Kris; Nys, Herman

2007-04-01

The European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine of the Council of Europe provides in article 6 for special protection of persons who are not able to give free and informed consent to an intervention in the health field, e.g. minors. According to the second paragraph of this article it is up to domestic law to decide whether and under which conditions a minor is capable of taking autonomous decisions in the health field. In the present article an overview is given of the legal regulations in place regarding the position of minors in a health care setting in the EU Member States that have ratified the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine namely Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. As the overview will show, the legal position of minor patients in a health care setting varies from country to country. This in view of the system they have opted for as well as the age and circumstances under which minors are allowed to take health care decisions autonomously.

LOW-BACK PAIN DISORDERS AS OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND 22 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: COMPARISON OF NATIONAL SYSTEMS, RELATED DIAGNOSES AND EVALUATION CRITERIA.

PubMed

Laštovková, Andrea; Nakládalová, Marie; Fenclová, Zdenka; Urban, Pavel; Gad'ourek, Petr; Lebeda, Tomáš; Ehler, Edvard; Ridzoň, Petr; Hlávková, Jana; Boriková, Alena; Kuijer, P Paul F M; Bátora, Igor; Scholz-Odermatt, Stefan M; Moldovan, Horatiu; Godderis, Lode; Leijon, Ola; Campo, Giuseppe; Vaněčková, Manuela; Bonneterre, Vincent; Stikova, Elisaveta Jasna; Pelclová, Daniela

2015-09-01

Low-back pain diseases (LBPD) belong to the most frequent diagnoses determined by general practitioners, and constitute one of the most common reasons for sick leave and permanent disability pension in the Czech Republic and other European countries. Epidemiological studies have shown a statistically significant association between LBPD and certain types of occupational burden. However, in the Czech Republic, LBPD caused by overload and/or whole-body vibrations have not yet been included in the list of occupational diseases. The aim of this study was to collect and compare the systems, criteria and diagnoses used to recognize LBPD as occupational diseases in other European countries. A questionnaire focused on LBPD was distributed and answered by specialists in occupational diseases in European countries. It included items concerning LBPD in the national list of occupational diseases, and work-related and diagnostic criteria that need to be fulfilled for recognizing LBPD as occupational diseases and possible awarding compensations to the patients. In 13 countries out of the 23 countries studied, LBPD caused by overload can be recognized as occupational, providing that the diagnosis is sufficiently proven and exposure criteria and/or listed occupation are met and duration of exposure is confirmed (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland). LBPD due to vibrations can be also recognized as occupational in 14 countries. In 8 countries LBPD are not accepted as occupational unless they are caused by an injury at work. Specific criteria to evaluate occupational exposure of patients with LBPD were set in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, and Slovakia. In other countries, the evaluation is done at an individual basis. In practice, the assessment of occupational overload and its contribution to the development of LBPD as well as its inclusion in the compensation system are important for several reasons. Firstly, it may be considered essentially preventable. Secondly, cases with a significant contribution of occupational aetiology may be viewed as occupational diseases for which compensation may be claimed, as it is the case in many European countries. Importantly, inclusion of LBPD in the list of occupational diseases or another system of compensation may be viewed as a preventive measure as it increases the visibility of this problem not only for the workers, but especially for the employers.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia in Terms of Mortality from Malignant Neoplasms: Similar or Opposite Tendencies?

PubMed

Hulíková Tesárková, Klára

2017-09-01

In Europe, a steady mortality decline has been observed from the 1950s, however, Central and Eastern Europe underwent a period of stagnation or even worsening from the 1960s to 1980s. Since that time an evident mortality decline could be observed in that part of Europe too. Within the post-communist countries, mortality development has been most favourable in Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The aim of this study is to describe the latest development of cancer mortality in two selected countries - the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These two countries have much in common, including many similar long term trends in demographic or social indicators' development. The study evaluates whether cancer mortality development differs in the two countries or rather follows a similar trend. From the presented results it is clear that the development apparently differs namely according to sex. The results according to selected particular causes of death (from the group of malignant neoplasms) are presented as well. It could be assumed that many aspects could be improved by prevention programmes or screening. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2017.

Ukraine: Current Issues and U.S. Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-27

the region; and offered support for Russian civil society and democracy organizations . The legislation also urged the Administration to provide...North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania, Ukraine has played a prominent role in the...Intelligence Unit (EIU), “dismantling ingrained structures of corruption will continue to meet with considerable resistance from organized business-political

Ethnography as Method, Methodology, and "Deep Theorizing" Closing the Gap between Text and Context in Academic Writing Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lillis, Theresa

2008-01-01

This article critically explores the value of ethnography for enhancing context-sensitive approaches to the study of academic writing. Drawing on data from two longitudinal studies, student writing in the United Kingdom and professional academic writing in Hungary, Slovakia, Spain, and Portugal, the author illustrates the different contributions…

76 FR 7721 - Importation of Live Swine, Swine Semen, Pork, and Pork Products; Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-11

... Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: We are proposing to amend the... list of regions considered free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and rinderpest. These proposed actions... action and implements decisions of the EU Parliament and Council. Prior to joining the EU in 2004, the...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, J.H.

The separation of the Czech and Slovak Republics has highlighted differences in regional energy development activities, specifically, the privatization of electric power projects. It has also highlighted differences in the investment opportunities in electric power generating projects. Although the terms of the velvet divorce are now relatively final, one area where some sharing, use or investment in common assets will continue to occur is in the energy sector. The main reason is it serves neither party to completely separate its assets, and both republics have some strategic leverage over the other regarding energy matters. Strategic/financial cooperation is necessary for bothmore » republics to move forward efficiently, but especially for Slovakia since it is the less resource-rich. On the other hand, Slovakia maintains the right-of-way for crucial pipelines from the Ukraine that supply both republics. There is no question though, the Czech region is the greater beneficiary of foreign investment in electric generation, transmission and distribution, retrofitting, environmental rehabilitation, and fuel supply development projects.« less

Dynamics of Inequalities in Access to Higher Education: Bulgaria in a Comparative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilieva-Trichkova, Petya; Boyadjieva, Pepka

2014-01-01

This paper aims at studying the dynamics of inequalities in access to higher education (HE) both in a historical and a comparative perspective. It uses Bulgaria as a case study and places it among five other countries such as Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The adopted approach differentiates between equity in HE and inequalities…

Adaptation of the QoL-AGHDA scale for adults with growth hormone deficiency in four Slavic languages.

PubMed

McKenna, Stephen P; Wilburn, Jeanette; Twiss, James; Crawford, Sigrid R; Hána, Václav; Karbownik-Lewinska, Malgorzata; Popovic, Vera; Pura, Mikulas; Koltowska-Häggström, Maria

2011-08-02

The Quality of Life in Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency Assessment (QoL-AGHDA) is a disease-specific quality of life measure specific to individuals who are growth hormone deficient. The present study describes the adaptation of the QoL-AGHDA for use in the following four Slavic languages; Czech, Polish, Serbian and Slovakian. The study involved three stages in each language; translation, cognitive debriefing and validation. The validation stage assessed internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), reproducibility (test-retest reliability using Spearman's rank correlations), convergent and divergent validity (Correlations with the NHP) and known group validity. The QoL-AGHDA was successfully translated into the target languages with minimal problems. Cognitive debriefing interviewees (n = 15-18) found the measures easy to complete and identified few problems with the content. Internal consistency (Czech Republic = 0.91, Poland = 0.91, Serbia = 0.91 and Slovakia = 0.89) and reproducibility (Czech Republic = 0.91, Poland = 0.91, Serbia = 0.88 and Slovakia = 0.93) were good in all adaptations. Convergent and divergent validity and known group validity data were not available for Slovakia. The QoL-AGHDA correlated as expected with the NHP scales most relevant to GHD. The QoL-AGHDA was able to distinguish between participants based on a range of variables. The QoL-AGHDA was successfully adapted for use in the Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia. Further validation of the Slovakian version would be beneficial. The addition of these new language versions will prove valuable to multinational clinical trials and to clinical practice in the respective countries.

2 CFR 176.90 - Acquisitions covered under international agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia... Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua); (ii) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA...

2 CFR 176.90 - Acquisitions covered under international agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia... Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua); (ii) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA...

2 CFR 176.90 - Acquisitions covered under international agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia... Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua); (ii) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA...

2 CFR 176.90 - Acquisitions covered under international agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia... Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua); (ii) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA...

The Road to the European Union: Macroeconomic Policy Challenges for Hungary and Poland. Fulbright-Hayes Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2002 (Hungary and Poland).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Teresita R.

Prospects for the enlargement of the European Union (EU) became imminent when the EU Commission agreed in 1997 to open formal negotiations with five of the Central and Eastern European countries: (1) the Czech Republic; (2) Hungary; (3) Poland; (4) Slovenia; and (5) Estonia. This research project discusses macroeconomic policy challenges that…

Education in Czechoslovakia. Bulletin, 1922, No. 39

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bach, Teresa

1923-01-01

The Czecho-Slovak Republic, proclaimed independent October 28, 1918, comprises an area of 54,000 square miles. It is inhabited by Czechs and Slovaks, two branches of the western Slavs, from whom the Republic derived its name. The new State reunites the Provinces of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Slovakia, and the autonomous territory of Carpathian…

Ukraine: Current Issues and U.S. Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-08

Ukrainian government committed to reforms. In May 2014, the Ukrainian government received the first installment of a $17 billion IMF loan. The European...sensitive position between Russia and NATO member states Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania adds to its geostrategic significance. Many Russian...continue their efforts at destabilization unhindered. After Ukraine re-launched an “anti-terrorist operation” on April 23 (after setbacks on a first

Chronic Pain: Content Validation of Nursing Diagnosis in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Zeleníková, Renáta; Maniaková, Lenka

2015-10-01

The main purpose of the study was to validate the defining characteristics and related factors of the nursing diagnosis "chronic pain" in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. This is a descriptive study. The validation process involved was based on Fehring's Diagnostic Content Validity Model. Three defining characteristics (reports pain, altered ability to continue previous activities, and depression) were classified as major by Slovak nurses, and one defining characteristic (reports pain) was classified as major by Czech nurses. The results of the study provide guidance in devising strategies of pain assessment and can aid in the formulation of accurate nursing diagnoses. The defining characteristic "reports pain" is important for arriving at the nursing diagnosis "chronic pain." © 2014 NANDA International, Inc.

Content validation of the nursing diagnosis acute pain in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

PubMed

Zeleníková, Renáta; Žiaková, Katarína; Čáp, Juraj; Jarošová, Darja

2014-10-01

The main purpose of the study was to validate the defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis acute pain in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This is a descriptive study. The validation process involved was based on Fehring's diagnostic content validity model. Four defining characteristics were classified as major by Slovak nurses and eight defining characteristics were classified as major by Czech nurses. Validation of the nursing diagnosis acute pain in the Czech and Slovak sociocultural context has shown that nurses prioritize characteristics that are behavioral in nature as well as patients' verbal reports of pain. Verbal reports of pain and behavioral indicators are important for arriving at the nursing diagnosis acute pain. © 2014 NANDA International, Inc.

Final Report: Comparison of the primary (national) standards of low-pressure gas flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benková, Miroslava; Makovnik, Stefan; Mickan, Bodo

2015-01-01

The EURAMET.M.FF-K6 comparison was organized for the purpose of determination of the degree of equivalence of the primary (national) standards for low-pressure gas flow measurement over the range (2 to 100) m3/h and was performed simultaneously with CCM.FF-K6.2011 with the same transfer standard. A rotary gas meter G65 was used as a transfer standard. The measurements were provided by prescribed reference conditions. Fifteen laboratories from EURAMET participated in this key comparison - SMU, Slovakia; PTB, Germany; CEM, Spain; LNE-LADG, France; VSL, Netherlands; CMI, Czech Republic; BEV, Austria; MKEH, Hungary; GUM Poland; SP, Sweden; METAS, Switzerland; DMDM, Serbia; TUBITAK-UME, Turkey; EIM, Greece; IMBiH, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The EURAMET.M.FF-K6 is linked to the CCM.FF-K6.2011 by correcting the results of three linking laboratories (Slovakia SMU, Germany PTB and France LNE LADG). This correction provides an estimate of what would have been the result from the EURAMET.M-FF-K6 participants, if they had actually participated in CCM.FF-K6.2011. According to the evaluation 93.7 % of the results were consistent with KCRV, 3.4 % of the results were in the warning level and 2.9 % of the results were inconsistent. The results of this comparison can be used for review of the CMC tables. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Pricing and Reimbursement of Biosimilars in Central and Eastern European Countries

PubMed Central

Kawalec, Paweł; Stawowczyk, Ewa; Tesar, Tomas; Skoupa, Jana; Turcu-Stiolica, Adina; Dimitrova, Maria; Petrova, Guenka I.; Rugaja, Zinta; Männik, Agnes; Harsanyi, Andras; Draganic, Pero

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the requirements for the reimbursement of biosimilars and to compare the reimbursement status, market share, and reimbursement costs of biosimilars in selected Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted between November 2016 and January 2017 among experts from the following CEE countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. The requirements for the pricing and reimbursement of biosimilars were reviewed for each country. Data on the extent of reimbursement of biologic drugs (separately for original products and biosimilars) in the years 2014 and 2015 were also collected for each country, along with data on the total pharmaceutical and total public health care budgets. Results: Our survey revealed that no specific criteria were applied for the pricing and reimbursement of biosimilars in the selected CEE countries; the price of biosimilars was usually reduced compared with original drugs and specific price discounts were common. Substitution and interchangeability were generally allowed, although in most countries they were at the discretion of the physician after a clinical assessment. Original biologic drugs and the corresponding biosimilars were usually in the same homogeneous group, and internal reference pricing was usually employed. The reimbursement rate of biosimilars in the majority of the countries was the same and amounted to 100%. Generally, the higher shares of expenditures were shown for the reimbursement of original drugs than for biosimilars, except for filgrastim, somatropin, and epoetin (alfa and zeta). The shares of expenditures on the reimbursement of biosimilar products ranged from 8.0% in Estonia in 2014 to 32.4% in Lithuania in 2015, and generally increased in 2015. The share of expenditures on reimbursement of biosimilars in the total pharmaceutical budget differed between the countries, with the highest observed value for Slovakia and Hungary and the lowest—for Croatia. Conclusions: The requirements for the pricing and reimbursement of biosimilar products as well as the access of patients to biologic treatment do not differ significantly between the considered CEE countries. Biosimilar drugs significantly influence the reimbursement systems of these countries, and the expenditure on the reimbursement of biosimilars is increasing as they are becoming more accessible to patients. PMID:28642700

Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of Hepatozoon spp. in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks and rodents from Slovakia and Czech Republic.

PubMed

Hamšíková, Zuzana; Silaghi, Cornelia; Rudolf, Ivo; Venclíková, Kristýna; Mahríková, Lenka; Slovák, Mirko; Mendel, Jan; Blažejová, Hana; Berthová, Lenka; Kocianová, Elena; Hubálek, Zdeněk; Schnittger, Leonhard; Kazimírová, Mária

2016-10-01

By amplification and sequencing of 18S rRNA gene fragments, Hepatozoon spp. DNA was detected in 0.08 % (4/5057) and 0.04 % (1/2473) of questing Ixodes ricinus ticks from Slovakia and Czech Republic, respectively. Hepatozoon spp. DNA was also detected in spleen and/or lungs of 4.45 % (27/606) of rodents from Slovakia. Prevalence of infection was significantly higher in Myodes glareolus (11.45 %) than in Apodemus spp. (0.28 %) (P < 0.001). Sequencing of 18S rRNA Hepatozoon spp. gene amplicons from I. ricinus showed 100 % identity with Hepatozoon canis isolates from red foxes or dogs in Europe. Phylogenetic analysis showed that at least two H. canis 18S rRNA genotypes exist in Slovakia of which one was identified also in the Czech Republic. The finding of H. canis in questing I. ricinus suggests the geographical spread of the parasite and a potential role of other ticks as its vectors in areas where Rhipicephalus sanguineus is not endemic. Sequencing of 18S rRNA gene amplicons from M. glareolus revealed the presence of two closely related genetic variants, Hepatozoon sp. SK1 and Hepatozoon sp. SK2, showing 99-100 % identity with isolates from M. glareolus from other European countries. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that 18S rRNA variants SK1 and SK2 correspond to previously described genotypes UR1 and UR2 of H. erhardovae, respectively. The isolate from Apodemus flavicollis (Hepatozoon sp. SK3b) was 99 % identical with isolates from reptiles in Africa and Asia. Further studies are necessary to identify the taxonomic status of Hepatozoon spp. parasitizing rodents in Europe and the host-parasite interactions in natural foci.

Urban wastewater development in Central and Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Somlyódy, László; Patziger, Miklós

2012-01-01

In the early nineties the region of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE, more than 1 million km² and 100 million inhabitants) went through fundamental political, economic and social changes which eventually led to the European integration process. This positively influenced urban water and wastewater management , which had an unbalanced structure and rather low level of development. The paper outlines first the 1990 situation (water supply, sewerage and wastewater treatment (WWT)) and the infrastructure development of the last two decades, on the basis of a comprehensive data collection for six countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia). Austria serves as a reference basis. Alterations of some of the drivers such as GDP (Gross Domestic Product), water tariff, investment funding and legislation are studied in detail. Then, the paper focuses on WWT by analyzing data of 20 large plants. Influent and effluent quality is evaluated. Technology indicators are estimated and assessed. They include plant removal rates and violation ratios assuming the application of the Urban Wastewater Directive, primary clarifier removal rates, actual anoxic volume and sludge age in comparison with the recommendations of the ATV guideline, criteria of secondary settling tanks and energy consumption. Finally, nutrient removal rates and upgrading options are outlined.

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-04

critically." We agree, but here again the counterpole is missing: self -criticism. Criticism without self -criticism is only a one-sided, irresponsible...behind us Slovaks, living in Hungary, suf- fering an inadequacy of self -confidence, whereas a siz- able portion of our comrades in fate who live in...Slovakia suffer from a significant excess of self -confidence (for example, they are not willing to adopt the Slovak lan- guage). And so that we would

Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

Finland : 3 UK: 13 Croatia: 4 Hungary: 3 Italy: 22 Lithuania: 2 Netherlands: 6 Poland: 9 Portugal: 1 Romania: 3 Slovenia: 1 Slovakia: 1...civilian casualties resulting from operations by pro -government forces compared with the same period in 2011, and more specifically, a 42 percent...Window A is administered by the World Bank; contributors are Australia ($5.9 million), Finland ($2.5 million), and the United States ($50 million

Ukraine: Current Issues and U.S. Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-20

In May 2014, the Ukrainian government received the first installment of a $17 billion IMF loan. The European Union has unveiled an 11.175 billion Euro...NATO member states Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania adds to its geostrategic significance. Many Russian politicians, as well as ordinary citizens...terrorist operation” on April 23 (following setbacks on a first attempt) that resulted in several dead and wounded among the separatists, Russia

Implications of a Resurgent Russian Federation for U.S. European Command

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-10

Slovakia, Hungary, Romania , and Moldova. It also has a substantial coastline along the Black Sea. A map of Ukraine is located in Appendix A. Seventy...and is currently experiencing its longest run of sovereign independence.95 Ukraine declared independence from the Russian Empire in 1918 following...after until 1991 from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Georgia gained independence briefly in 1918 following the Russian Revolution and established a

Case study of a severe windstorm over Slovakia and Hungary on 25 June 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, André; Kaňák, Ján; Sokol, Alois; Putsay, Mária; Uhrínová, Lucia; Csirmaz, Kálmán; Okon, Ľuboslav; Habrovský, Richard

2011-06-01

A system of thunderstorms approached the Slovakia and Hungary in the late evening hours of 25 June 2008, causing extensive damage and peak wind gusts up to 40 m/s. This study examines the macro- and mesosynoptic conditions for the windstorm using soundings, analyses, and forecasts of numerical models (ALADIN, ECMWF). A derecho-like character of the event is discussed. Meteosat Second Generation imagery and convective indices inferred from satellite and model data are used to assess the humidity distribution and the conditional instability of the thunderstorm environment. An intrusion of the environmental dry air into the convective system and intensification of downdrafts is considered to be one of the reasons for the damaging winds observed at some areas. This is supported by the radar imagery showing a sudden drop of radar reflectivity and creation of line echo wave patterns and bow echoes. A numerical simulation provided by the non-hydrostatic MM5 model indicated the development of meso-γ scale vortices embedded in the convective system. The genesis and a possible role of such vortices in creating rear-inflow jets and intensifying the low level winds are investigated with the help of the vorticity equation and several other diagnostic parameters. In addition, the effect of various physical parameterisations on the forecast of the windstorm is evaluated.

Projections of alcohol- and tobacco-related cancer mortality in Central Europe.

PubMed

Bray, I; Brennan, P; Boffetta, P

2000-07-01

Central European mortality rates for cancer sites related to tobacco and alcohol have increased rapidly in recent decades. From a public health point of view, it is of considerable interest to know whether these past increases in cancer mortality will continue into the future. Cancer mortality rates for the period 1965-1994 in Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovakia (analysed together), Hungary, Poland, and Romania were analysed for cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, oesophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas. Using a Bayesian age-period-cohort approach, we have calculated smoothed observed rates. The effects of period and cohort were extrapolated to estimate mortality projections for 1995-99, 2004-09, and 2005-09. Mortality rates for all sites are projected to increase in most countries. Hungary has the highest projected rates for most sites, and particularly rapid increases are expected for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx and of the larynx in Hungarian men. The smoothed 1990-94 male mortality rates for these two sites of 16. 32/100,000 and 8.70/100,000, respectively, are projected to reach 35. 17/100,000 for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx and 14.12/100, 000 for cancer of the larynx by the period 2000-04. For kidney cancer, former Czechoslovakia has the highest observed and projected mortality rates. The smoothed 1990-94 rate of 8.37/100,000 is expected to increase 24% to 10.38/100,000 by 2000-04. Our results indicate that further increases may be expected on top of the already high cancer mortality levels in Central Europe. Policies to reduce alcohol consumption and prevent smoking in younger generations are necessary to reduce mortality as these cohorts age. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

9 CFR 94.11 - Restrictions on importation of meat and other animal products from specified regions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia... by adding the words, “Republic of Korea,” after the word “Japan,”, effective Jan. 12, 2010. ...

[Knowledge about cervical cancer among respondents in Slovakia and the Czech Republic - Aurora Project].

PubMed

Švihrová, V; Jílková, E; Szabóová, V; Baška, T; Danko, J; Hudečková, H

2015-06-01

The Aurora Project, aimed at promotion of cervical cancer prevention, was realised with the support of the European Commission. The project included 14 partners from 11 EU countries. The objective of this contribution was to analyse the level of knowledge on cervical cancer among respondents in the project partner countries and to compare the situations in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Data were obtained within one of the project outputs: Work Package 2 (WP2) Dissemination of Aurora Project Objectives and Results. The questionnaire used included 10 questions (available at the project website www.aurora-project.eu) and has been translated into 11 languages of the project partners. In total, 2111 questionnaires were analysed (91.7% response rate), among them 246 were from Slovakia and 305 from the Czech Republic. Descriptive statistical methods and the χ2 test were used to analyse data. The level of knowledge in Slovak and Czech respondents was comparable in answers to seven questions. Statistically significant differences were observed in answers to questions about anatomy and cervical cancer therapy. Answers to the question, 'What are the symptoms of cervical cancer in the early stages?', should be considered as crucial to understand attitudes of the lay population towards prevention. There were 7% of women in the Czech Republic and 16% in Slovakia with the opinion that there is some clinical manifestation of such a condition. This means that women with such an opinion have no reason to visit a gynaecologist while no signs of a disease are present. The period during which they do not attend a preventive check-up is sufficient for the development of precancerous lesions or even cancer. Recommendations of doctors play a key role in primary and secondary prevention of the disease. An important part of interventions includes information campaigns and educational programmes. The internet is another important source of information, especially for younger generations. Together, these can contribute to increased participation in preventive check-ups by education of the general public. Thus, the disease can be detected early and the development of cervical cancer prevented.

Find an Eye M.D.

MedlinePlus

... Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia(Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia South Sudan ... treat all eye diseases. Many ophthalmologists conduct scientific research to improve treatment options and to find cures ...

Meteor Observation in a Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimnikoval, Peter

2010-08-01

Observation in former Czechoslovakia has more than 100 years tradition. These activities started in Czech part of the republic, mostly. More serious and systematic observations began in second half of the 20-th century. Important role played the International Geophysical Year 1957/58. Part of this event was International Meteor Year. Czechoslovakian astronomers were accredited as main organisers of the IMY. It was improved observe methods for this reason. High role in meteor observations has establishment of public observatories in Slovakia in 70-ties, too. Beside of popularization of astronomy one of main task was to organise amateur observations. Important role had collaboration of Copernicus Observatory and planetarium Brno (now Czech republic) and observatory Banská Bystrica from 1972. Main purpose of the collaboration was organising of so-called National Meteor Expeditions. These expeditions runs till 1988. Tradition of expeditions continues in Slovakia until today.

Twenty-Five Years After--Rebuilding the Lifelong Learning System in the Czech and Slovak Republic: Progress, Challenges and Lessons Learnt from a Narrative Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sprlak, Tomas

2016-01-01

The lifelong learning system in the Czech Republic and Slovakia share some common traits: traditional model with the dominant role of the initial education, low participation rates, lack of incentives and fragmentation. The results of the narrative research on 15 low-skilled persons demonstrated that negative attitudes towards education are often…

JPRS Report, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-26

GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Legal Provisions on Investment Surveyed [Cologne DEUTSCHLAND ARCHIV Feb] .................. 29 HUNGARY Carnegie Franchise ...131 ZGB), Carnegie Franchise To Be Established in Hungary -weekend cottages, rooms for recreational purposes, 90CHOOO7B Budapest NEPSZABADSAG in...the water breweries. It would be desirable to set up small slaughter- shortage. houses, dairy plants, and bakeries with the participation of foreign

The legal status of home education in post-communist countries of Central Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostelecká, Yvona

2012-08-01

As new laws on education were gradually adopted in post-communist states after 1989, the countries also dealt with the problem of how to include home education in their own legislation. This article investigates the development of legislation on home education in five states of post-communist Central Europe: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland and Hungary. This analysis of the legal environment for home education confirms on the one hand that these countries' approach is similar in many aspects. Generally, laws tend to regulate home education rather strictly, all home-educated children must be enrolled at some school, and these schools are mandated by the state to serve as supervisory bodies for home-educated children. This legal arrangement puts the parents of home-schooled children in a very subordinate position in relation to the school. Despite these restrictions, however, the states have gradually opened up the option for home education to quite a broad pool of potentially interested people. On the other hand, the findings show that there are also significant differences between individual countries. These differences provide a good illustration of the fact that, despite historical, economic and cultural similarities, political institutions and state bureaucracies in individual states act autonomously, which leads to different policy outcomes.

Effect of Climate and Land Use on the Spatio-Temporal Variability of Tick-Borne Bacteria in Europe

PubMed Central

Tagliapietra, Valentina; Baráková, Ivana; Hauffe, Heidi Christine; Rosso, Fausta; Blaňarová, Lucia; Bona, Martin; Derdáková, Marketa; Hamšíková, Zuzana; Kazimírová, Maria; Kraljik, Jasna; Kocianová, Elena; Mahríková, Lenka; Minichová, Lenka; Mošanský, Ladislav; Slovák, Mirko; Stanko, Michal; Špitalská, Eva; Ducheyne, Els; Hubálek, Zdenek; Rudolf, Ivo; Venclikova, Kristyna; Silaghi, Cornelia; Overzier, Evelyn; Farkas, Robert; Hornok, Sándor; Takács, Nóra

2018-01-01

The incidence of tick-borne diseases caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp. has been rising in Europe in recent decades. Early pre-assessment of acarological hazard still represents a complex challenge. The aim of this study was to model Ixodes ricinus questing nymph density and its infection rate with B. burgdorferi s.l., A. phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp. in five European countries (Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary) in various land cover types differing in use and anthropisation (agricultural, urban and natural) with climatic and environmental factors (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Land Surface Temperature (LST) and precipitation). We show that the relative abundance of questing nymphs was significantly associated with climatic conditions, such as higher values of NDVI recorded in the sampling period, while no differences were observed among land use categories. However, the density of infected nymphs (DIN) also depended on the pathogen considered and land use. These results contribute to a better understanding of the variation in acarological hazard for Ixodes ricinus transmitted pathogens in Central Europe and provide the basis for more focused ecological studies aimed at assessing the effect of land use in different sites on tick–host pathogens interaction. PMID:29649132

48 CFR 22.1503 - Procedures for acquiring end products on the List of Products Requiring Contractor Certification...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... more (see subpart 25.4); or (4) Armenia, Aruba, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy..., Romania, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, or the United Kingdom...

Universities and Knowledge Production in Central Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwiek, Marek

2012-01-01

The article discusses an East/West divide in Europe in university knowledge production. It argues that the communist and post-communist legacies in the four major Central European economies studied (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic) matter substantially for educational and research systems. The differences in university…

Indoor radon survey in Visegrad countries.

PubMed

Műllerová, Monika; Kozak, Krzysztof; Kovács, Tibor; Smetanová, Iveta; Csordás, Anita; Grzadziel, Dominik; Holý, Karol; Mazur, Jadwiga; Moravcsík, Attila; Neznal, Martin; Neznal, Matej

2016-04-01

The indoor radon measurements were carried out in 123 residential buildings and 33 schools in Visegrad countries (Slovakia, Hungary and Poland). In 13.2% of rooms radon concentration exceeded 300Bqm(-3), the reference value recommended in the Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM. Indoor radon in houses shows the typical radon behavior, with a minimum in the summer and a maximum in the winter season, whereas in 32% of schools the maximum indoor radon was reached in the summer months. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Searching for effects caused by thunderstorms in midlatitude sporadic E layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barta, Veronika; Haldoupis, Christos; Sátori, Gabriella; Buresova, Dalia; Chum, Jaroslav; Pozoga, Mariusz; Berényi, Kitti A.; Bór, József; Popek, Martin; Kis, Árpád; Bencze, Pál

2017-08-01

Possible thunderstorm - sporadic E (Es) layer coupling effects are investigated during two measurement periods, one in 2013 and one in 2014. The analysis was based on ionospheric observations obtained from a Digisonde at Pruhonice, the Czech Republic, an ionosonde at Nagycenk, Hungary, and a 3.59 MHz five-point continuous HF Doppler system located in the western part of the Czech Republic. The latter is capable of detecting ionospheric wave-like variations caused by neutral atmospheric waves generated by thunderstorms. The present study searches for possible impacts on Es layers caused by the presence of two active thunderstorms: one passing across the Czech Republic on June 20, 2013 (19:00-01:00 LT), and one through Hungary on July 30, 2014 (11:00-01:00 LT). During these two time periods, presence and parameters of Es layer were inferred from ionograms, recorded every minute at Pruhonice and every two minutes at Nagycenk, whereas concurrent lightning activity was monitored by the LINET detection network. In addition, transient luminous events (TLEs) were also observed during both nights from Sopron, Hungary and from Nýdek, the Czech Republic. A noticeable fact was the reduction and disappearance of the ongoing Es layer activity during part of the time in both of the traversing thunderstorms. The analysis indicated that the critical frequency foEs dropped below ionosonde detection levels in both cases, possibly because of thunderstorm activity effects. This option, however, needs more case studies in order to be further substantiated.

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR) in 54 languages across 52 countries: review of the general methodology.

PubMed

Bovis, Francesca; Consolaro, Alessandro; Pistorio, Angela; Garrone, Marco; Scala, Silvia; Patrone, Elisa; Rinaldi, Mariangela; Villa, Luca; Martini, Alberto; Ravelli, Angelo; Ruperto, Nicolino

2018-04-01

The aim of this project was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR) questionnaire in 54 languages across 52 different countries that are members of the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation (PRINTO). This effort was part of a wider project named Epidemiology and Outcome of Children with Arthritis (EPOCA) to obtain information on the frequency of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) categories in different geographic areas, the therapeutic approaches adopted, and the disease status of children with JIA currently followed worldwide. A total of 13,843 subjects were enrolled from the 49 countries that took part both in the cross-cultural adaptation phase and in the related validation and data collection: Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States of America. 9021 patients had JIA (10.7% systemic arthritis, 41.9% oligoarthritis, 23.5% RF negative polyarthritis, 4.2% RF positive polyarthritis, 3.4% psoriatic arthritis, 10.6% enthesitis-related arthritis and 5.7% undifferentiated arthritis) while 4822 were healthy children. This introductory paper describes the overall methodology; results pertaining to each country are fully described in the accompanying manuscripts. In conclusion, the JAMAR translations were found to have satisfactory psychometric properties and it is thus a reliable and valid tool for the multidimensional assessment of children with JIA.

An international observational prospective study to determine the cost of asthma exacerbations (COAX).

PubMed

Lane, Stephen; Molina, Jesus; Plusa, Tadeusz

2006-03-01

Asthma is a common chronic condition that places substantial burden on patients and healthcare services. Despite the standards of asthma control that international guidelines recommend should be achieved, many patients continue to suffer sub-optimal control of symptoms and experience exacerbations (acute asthma attacks). In addition to being associated with reduced quality of life, asthma exacerbations are a key cost driver in asthma management. Routine clinical practice for the management of asthma exacerbations varies in different healthcare systems, so healthcare providers require local costs to be able to assess the value of therapies that reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations. This prospective study, conducted in a total of 15 countries, assessed the local cost of asthma exacerbations managed in either primary or secondary care. Healthcare resources used were costed using actual values appropriate to each country in local currency and in Euros. Results are presented for exacerbations managed in primary care in Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Ukraine, and in secondary care in Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Multiple regression analysis of the 2052 exacerbations included in the economic analysis showed that the cost of exacerbations was significantly affected by country (P<0.0001). Mean costs were significantly higher in secondary care (euro 1349) than primary care (euro 445, P=0.0003). Age was a significant variable (P=0.0002), though the effect showed an interaction with care type (P<0.0001). As severity of exacerbation increased, so did secondary care costs, though primary care costs remained essentially constant. In conclusion, the study showed that asthma exacerbations are costly to manage, suggesting that therapies able to increase asthma control and reduce the frequency or severity of exacerbations may bring economic benefits, as well as improved quality of life.

Porcine kobuvirus 1 in healthy and diarrheic pigs: Genetic detection and characterization of virus and co-infection with rotavirus A.

PubMed

Jackova, Anna; Sliz, Ivan; Mandelik, Rene; Salamunova, Slavomira; Novotny, Jaroslav; Kolesarova, Mariana; Vlasakova, Michaela; Vilcek, Stefan

2017-04-01

The porcine kobuvirus 1 (PKV-1) is believed to be an enteric virus. To investigate the prevalence of PKV-1 in pigs, virus was detected by RT-PCR in rectal swabs originating from 414 healthy and diarrheic pigs of different age categories on farms in Slovakia. Among all ages of animals, PKV-1 was detected equally in diarrheic (63.8%) and clinically healthy (62.9%) pigs. PKV-1 was more often detected in diarrheic (74.6%) than in healthy (64.4%) suckling piglets (<28days) but data was not statistically significant. Results in weaned (28-70days) and fattening (>70days) of both healthy and diarrheic pigs were inconsistent ranging in interval 56.2% to 67.9%. This study did not confirm a clear relationship of PKV-1 infection with diarrhea in pigs. Rotavirus A infection was detected among the same animals in 39% diarrheic and 9.2% healthy suckling piglets (p<0.001) confirming rotavirus as a causative agent of diarrhea in this age group. The difference was not significant in older pigs with both diarrheic and healthy pigs being infected within a range of 0% to 12.2%. Co-infection with PKV-1 and rotavirus A was detected overall in 5.6% of healthy and in 13.5% of diarrheic pigs and was highest in suckling piglets (33.9%). The PKV-1sequences from pigs in Slovakia were analyzed at the genetic level in the partial 3D gene region for the first time. The viral sequences were grouped in phylogenetic clusters according to their farm of origin. When compared with 157 nucleotide sequences originating from pig samples of different countries around the world Slovakian PKV-1 sequences were clustered in the phylogenetic tree with Asian sequences but not with nucleotide sequences from the neighbouring countries of Czech Republic or Hungary. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Comperative characteristics of different organizational approaches to the provision of dental care in Ukraine and Slovakia].

PubMed

Рогач, Іван; Слабкий, Генадій; Погоріляк, Рената; Ціцвакова, Марина; Шип, Денис; Данко, Дана

Saving dental health is a priority, which is controlled by the European strategy for the World Health Organization to achieve ≪Health for All≫. To study and compare organizational approaches to the organization of dental care in Ukraine and Slovakia. In the course of the work we used statistical, bibliosemantic methods and the method of structural and logical analysis, the data of the statistical branch reporting of Ukraine, Slovakia and the data of the European database ≪Health for All≫ were used. It is established that the provision of the population with educational institutions for future dentists in Ukraine is one university for 2154566 people, and in Slovakia - one for 676 764 people. Obviously, access to dental education in the Slovak Republic is better than in Ukraine. In the course of the study, we found that the level of provision of dentists for 10 thousand people in Ukraine is 4.56, and in Slovakia-5.75, which is 26% more than in Ukraine. In Slovakia, the level of availability of dentists is 5.75, too, with a reliable difference in the profile of administrative territories Conclusion. Both countries are working to achieve international goals to ensure dental health for the period till 2025. Therefore, the exchange of good experience, which gained in Ukraine and Slovakia for the organization of dental care will improve the performance of dental services of both countries to achieve these goals.

The Kosice meteorite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toth, J.; Svoren, J.

2012-01-01

The glare of the bolide on the night of February 28, 2010, illuminated streets and interiors of apartments at some location in eastern Slovakia and northern Hungary. In addition, cannon-like bursts or series of low frequency blasts were heard. Due to bad weather, cloudy skies, and scattered showers, the Central European Fireball Network (operated by Dr. Pavel Spurny of the Czech Academy of Sciences) did not take direct optical records of the bolide and the Slovak Video Meteor Network (operated by the first author) was not operational that night. So, at first sight, it seemed that there were no scientific records of this event. Fortunately, fast photoelectric sensors on seven automated fireball stations in the Czech Republic (6) and Austria (1) detected the illumination of the sky caused by the bolide, which made it possible to determine exact time and duration of the bolide and estimate its brightness. The bolide reached its maximum brightness of at least magnitude -18 in one huge flare. Later on, several surveillance camera data were published showing the moment when the night turned into day for a second, but only two videos from Hungary (Orkeny village, Fazzi Daniella and Vass Gabor; Telki village, contact persons Sarneczky Krisztian, and Kiss Laszlo) actually captured the fireball itself. Thanks to calibration of videos by several members of the Hungarian Astronomical Association (MCSE, http://www.mcse.hu) contributing (in particular, Antal Igaz) and a trajectory analysis by Dr. Jiri Borovicka of the Czech Academy of Sciences gave the hope that significant numbers of meteorite fragments reached the surface. He also calculated the impact area, near the town of Kosice in eastern Slovakia. The data from the Local Seismic Network of Eastern Slovakia (project led by Professor Moczo of Comenius University) confirmed the atmospheric trajectory as well. The expedition consisting of scientists and graduate students of the Astronomical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (under the leadership of the second author), Comenius University in Bratislava (under the leadership of the first author), and the Czech Academy of Sciences (under the leadership of Pavel Spurny) started to sweep meadows and forests at the calculated area. The first meteorite was discovered by Juraj Toth on March 20th. By October 6th, 77 meteorite fragments were found. The heaviest fragment weighs 2.17 kg and was found by Tereza Krejcova; the smallest pieces were only about 0.5 g (finder Julius Koza). The total mass recovered is 4.3 kg. There were 28 finders: Juraj Toth, Diana Buzova, Marek Husarik, Tereza Krejcova, Jan Svoren, Julius Koza, David Capek, Pavel Spurny, Stanislav Kaniansky, Eva Schunova, Marcel Skreka, Dusan Tomko, Pavol Zigo, Miroslav Seben, Jiri Silha, Leonard Kornos, Marcela Bodnarova, Peter Veres, Jozef Nedoroscik, Zuzana Mimovicova, Zuzana Krisandova, Jaromir Petrzala, Stefan Gajdos, Tomas Dobrovodsky, Peter Delincak, Zdenko Bartos, Ales Kucera, and Jozef Vilagi. Preliminary as well as complex mineralogic analysis implies that the recovered meteorite is classified as an ordinary H5 chondrite (Dr. J. Haloda, Czech Geological Survey, D. Ozdin, and P. Uher, Comenius University in Bratislava). The authors are grateful to all collaborators mentioned above. More details about the meteorite will be published in the near future.

Age-period-cohort analysis of oral cancer mortality in Europe: the end of an epidemic?

PubMed

Bonifazi, Martina; Malvezzi, Matteo; Bertuccio, Paola; Edefonti, Valeria; Garavello, Werner; Levi, Fabio; La Vecchia, Carlo; Negri, Eva

2011-05-01

Over the last decade, mortality from oral and pharyngeal cancer has been declining in most European countries, but it had been increasing substantially in Hungary, Slovakia and a few other countries of central Europe, reaching rates comparable to those of lung cancer in several western European countries in males. To update trends in oral cancer mortality and further analyse the recent epidemic in central Europe, official death certifications for oral and pharyngeal cancer for 37 European countries were derived over the period 1970-2007, and an age-period-cohort model was fitted for selected countries. Male oral cancer mortality continued to decline in most European countries, including the Russian Federation, and, more importantly, it also started to decline in some of the countries with the highest male rates, i.e. Hungary and Slovakia; persisting rises were, however, observed in Belarus, Bulgaria and Romania. Oral cancer mortality rates for women were lower than in men and showed no appreciable trend over recent periods in the EU overall. Estimates from the age-period-cohort analysis for most selected countries showed a fall in effects for the cohorts born after the 1950s. For the period effect displayed a rise for the earlier periods, an inversion in the 1990 s and a continuous fall up to the last studied period. Only some former non-market economy countries, like Romania, Ukraine and Lithuania, had rising cohort effect trends up to most recent generations. The major finding of this updated analysis of oral cancer mortality is the leveling of the epidemic for men in most European countries, including Hungary and other central European countries, where mortality from this cancer was exceedingly high. These trends essentially reflect the changes in alcohol and tobacco consumption in various populations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of Marchfeld asparagus using Sr isotope ratio measurements by MC-ICP-MS.

PubMed

Swoboda, S; Brunner, M; Boulyga, S F; Galler, P; Horacek, M; Prohaska, T

2008-01-01

This work focuses on testing and application of Sr isotope signatures for the fast and reliable authentication and traceability of Asparagus officinalis originating from Marchfeld, Austria, using multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after optimised Rb/Sr separation. The major sample pool comprises freeze-dried and microwave-digested asparagus samples from Hungary and Slovakia which are compared with Austrian asparagus originating from the Marchfeld region, which is a protected geographical indication. Additional samples from Peru, The Netherlands and Germany were limited in number and allowed therefore only restricted statistical evaluation. Asparagus samples from Marchfeld were harvested within two subsequent years in order to investigate the annual variation. The results show that the Sr isotope ratio is consistent within these 2 years of investigation. Moreover, the Sr isotope ratio of total Sr in soil was found to be significantly higher than in an NH4NO3 extract, reflecting the mobile (bioavailable) phase. The isotope composition in the latter extract corresponds well to the range found in the asparagus samples in Marchfeld, even though the concentration of Sr in asparagus shows no direct correlation to the concentration of Sr in the mobile phase of the soil. The major question was whether the 'Marchfelder Spargel' can be distinguished from samples from the neighbouring countries of Hungary and Slovakia. According to our findings, they can be clearly (100%) singled out from the Hungarian samples and can be distinguished from the Slovakian asparagus samples with a probability of more than 80%.

Cronobiologic analysis of abortions in two related populations of teenager girls during two decades.

PubMed

Mikulechý, M; Soltés, L; Valachová, A

1994-06-01

To identify and compare the time dynamics of artificial abortions in two (Czech and Slovak) ethnically, historically and socially closely related populations. Data have been taken separately for 12-15 and 16-18 year age girls from official exhaustive statistical sources and processed by advanced procedures of time series analysis. Czech and Slovak Republics. All girls of the given age. Legislative liberalization of abortions 1987. Estimated starting values of relative numbers of abortions by 1971, increasing linear trends, period lengths of fluctuation, coefficients of determination and those of cross-correlation. Level of significance alpha = 0.05. The Czech figures are significantly higher than the Slovak. Thus, estimated abortion percentage (from pregnancies) for 1971 was for younger Czech girls 53%, and for those from Slovakia 29%. All estimated trends were increasing significantly in all cases for the Czech population (by 1.5% per year in the younger group) and in one case for Slovakia. The estimated period lengths were usually 10-12 years. Czech and Slovak data display significant positive mutual cross-correlation, the delay being 1-3 years in Slovak girls. Surprisingly, all data significantly cross-correlate with the geomagnetic index value Ap, acting as lead-lag, with 3-6-year delay for abortions. Despite living in the same federal state--the former Czechoslovak Republic, both Czech and Slovak populations do differ in starting values and general trends of abortions in teenagers. This can be due to historical, racial and religious peculiarities as well as a more advanced process of industrialization in the western part--the Czech Republic. The latter hypothesis is corroborated by strong dynamism of changes and by the time delay in Slovakia. The periodicity exhibits a frequency resembling that known for solar motion round barycenter of solar system, for sunspots and geomagnetism.

Transnational Analysis of Vocational Education and Training in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).

Vocational education and training (VET) in 10 Central and Eastern European countries--Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia--was examined. The analysis focused on the following issues: socioeconomic context of VET reforms; VET at the start of reforms; the European Union Phare…

EQ-5D in Central and Eastern Europe: 2000-2015.

PubMed

Rencz, Fanni; Gulácsi, László; Drummond, Michael; Golicki, Dominik; Prevolnik Rupel, Valentina; Simon, Judit; Stolk, Elly A; Brodszky, Valentin; Baji, Petra; Závada, Jakub; Petrova, Guenka; Rotar, Alexandru; Péntek, Márta

2016-11-01

Cost per quality-adjusted life year data are required for reimbursement decisions in many Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. EQ-5D is by far the most commonly used instrument to generate utility values in CEE. This study aims to systematically review the literature on EQ-5D from eight CEE countries. An electronic database search was performed up to 1 July 2015 to identify original EQ-5D studies from the countries of interest. We analysed the use of EQ-5D with respect to clinical areas, methodological rigor, population norms and value sets. We identified 143 studies providing 152 country-specific results with a total sample size of 81,619: Austria (n = 11), Bulgaria (n = 6), Czech Republic (n = 18), Hungary (n = 47), Poland (n = 51), Romania (n = 2), Slovakia (n = 3) and Slovenia (n = 14). Cardiovascular (21 %), neurologic (17 %), musculoskeletal (15 %) and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (13 %) were the most frequently studied clinical areas. Overall, 112 (78 %) of the studies reported EQ VAS results and 86 (60 %) EQ-5D index scores, of which 27 (31 %) did not specify the applied tariff. Hungary, Poland and Slovenia have population norms. Poland and Slovenia also have a national value set. Increasing use of EQ-5D is observed throughout CEE. The spread of health technology assessment activities in countries seems to be reflected in the number of EQ-5D studies. However, improvement in informed use and methodological quality of reporting is needed. In jurisdictions where no national value set is available, in order to ensure comparability we recommend to apply the most frequently used UK tariff. Regional collaboration between CEE countries should be strengthened.

Environmental Kuznets curve for EU agriculture: empirical evidence from new entrant EU countries.

PubMed

Zafeiriou, Eleni; Sofios, Spyros; Partalidou, Xanthi

2017-06-01

The present work examines the intertemporal causal relationship between environmental damage from carbon emissions released by agriculture per 1000 ha of utilized agriculture area and economic performance in the sector of agriculture as described by net value added per capita. The autoregressive distributed lag bounds testing approach is employed to examine this linkage, for three new entrant EU countries, namely, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Hungary. The environmental Kuznets hypothesis is confirmed in the long run for Bulgaria and Czech Republic while in the short run is validated only for the case of Czech Republic. The results indicate that the adoption of environment-friendly farming practices and crops' selection does not secure simultaneous high economic and environmental performance at least in the short run for our sample countries and also in the long run for Hungary necessitating the modification of the agro-environmental measures adopted to make those two targets complementary and not mutually exclusive for a farmer.

The interference of paid work with household demands in different social policy contexts: perceived work-household conflict in Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Strandh, Mattias; Nordenmark, Mikael

2006-12-01

The article explores whether people experiences a lower level of work-household conflict in a context that is characterized by extensive family policies (Sweden and to some extent Hungary and Czech Republic) aimed at facilitating participation in the labour market. This is done by studying perceived work-household conflict among women and men living in Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. The analyses are based on the answers to a questionnaire distributed to nearly 6,000 randomly selected individuals within the framework of the European Union financed 'Household, Work, and Flexibility' (HWF) study. The results show that women in Sweden experience conflicts between work and household demands to a higher degree than any other category in all five countries. The differences between Swedish women and women living in the Netherlands and the UK are explained by variables indicating qualifications and workload in the main job, but the lower degree of work-household conflict among Czech and Hungarian women is still significant when controlling for household composition and working conditions. Data indicate that a possible explanation for this can be found in the interplay between men's and women's attitudes toward gender roles and the actual situation in terms of division of labour.

Georeferencing the historical cadastral map sheets of Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timár, Gábor; Biszak, Sándor

2010-05-01

In the historical Hungary, as a part of the Habsburg Empire, the first preserved and systematic cadastral survey was carried out between 1856 and 1859. Interestingly enough, this cadastral mapping, which was called in Hungary as 'Provisional' was surveyed simultaneously with the Stable Cadastre in the Austrian regions of the Empire. By the commission of the State Archives of Hungary, the Hungarian company Arcanum Ltd. scanned over 46,000 cadastral sheets of the Provisional Cadastre, mostly covering the present-day Hungary but also some copies covering parts of the present-day Croatia, Slovakia and Austria. The base ellipsoid was the Zach-Oriani hybrid (a=6376130 m; f=1/310). The fundamental point of the geodetic datum was the eastern pillar of the later destroyed astronomical observatory on the Gellérthegy, Budapest and the abridging Molodensky parameters from this datum to WGS84 are: dX=+1763 m; dY=+282 m; dZ=+568 m. The Cassini projection can be used for GIS integration with a projection center at the Gellérthegy with longitude=19d 3m 5.55s east of Greenwich; latitude=49d 29m 15.97s. The sheets were rectified by the calculated coordinates at the corner points. With the above given projection and datum parameters, the cadastral mosaic, based on the individual sheets and the digitized borders of the administrative units, is presented in any modern coordinate systems in GIS. Using this feature, the product is published as a DVD series by old counties as well as the distribution in the Internet.

Enterprise Funds: Evolving Models for Private Sector Development in Central and Eastern Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-01

and Hungary to help private sector development in those countries. Enterprise funds for the former Czech and Slovak Federal Republic were created in...institutions are reluctant to invest. The enterprise funds are also to provide technical assistance for private sector development in the host country...Strategies of loan programs developed. Poland and Hungary had taken some steps toward the creation of a private sector before the collapse of communism

How have the Eastern European countries of the former Warsaw Pact developed since 1990? A bibliometric study.

PubMed

Kozak, Marcin; Bornmann, Lutz; Leydesdorff, Loet

Did the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991 influence the scientific performance of the researchers in Eastern European countries? Did this historical event affect international collaboration by researchers from the Eastern European countries with those of Western countries? Did it also change international collaboration among researchers from the Eastern European countries? Trying to answer these questions, this study aims to shed light on international collaboration by researchers from the Eastern European countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia). The number of publications and normalized citation impact values are compared for these countries based on InCites (Thomson Reuters), from 1981 up to 2011. The international collaboration by researchers affiliated to institutions in Eastern European countries at the time points of 1990, 2000 and 2011 was studied with the help of Pajek and VOSviewer software, based on data from the Science Citation Index (Thomson Reuters). Our results show that the breakdown of the communist regime did not lead, on average, to a huge improvement in the publication performance of the Eastern European countries and that the increase in international co-authorship relations by the researchers affiliated to institutions in these countries was smaller than expected. Most of the Eastern European countries are still subject to changes and are still awaiting their boost in scientific development.

Condom use in the context of romantic relationships: A study among university students from 12 universities in four Central and Eastern European countries.

PubMed

Ssewanyana, Derrick; Sebena, Rene; Petkeviciene, Janina; Lukács, Andrea; Miovsky, Michal; Stock, Christiane

2015-01-01

To investigate the extent to which romantic relationship status influences condom use during vaginal, oral and anal sex among students from 12 universities in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovakia. A pilot study of 880 students from the ongoing Student Life Cohort in Europe (SLiCE) study. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to establish the effect of romantic relationship status on condom use during vaginal, anal and oral sex in the previous 30 days, while adjusting for participants' age, gender, use of alcohol and other drugs prior to sex, condom-carrying practices and number of sexual partners. Of the total sample, 73.7% were currently engaged in a romantic relationship and their condom use during vaginal sex (p < 0.001), oral sex (p < 0.001) and anal sex (p = 0.003) was significantly associated with their romantic relationship status. Students who were not in a romantic relationship had the lowest odds of condom use. Use of alcohol or other drugs before sex was detrimental to condom use (odds ratio 0.5; p = 0.045) during vaginal sex. Condom use during vaginal and oral sex was lower among older students. The need to target university students with more pragmatic sexual health risk reduction interventions that accommodate the role of romantic relationships on behavioural choices is justified.

2 CFR 176.90 - Non-application to acquisitions covered under international agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong..., Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg...

Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe. Slovakia 2007/08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivanova, Marta; Aichova, Gabriela

2008-01-01

The decisions related to the national curriculum are made at central level. The curriculum development is under responsibility of the National Institute for Education (organisation directly managed by the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic). "Zakladna skola" provides teaching of compulsory subjects, included separate compulsory…

Lifetime exposure to arsenic in residential drinking water in Central Europe.

PubMed

Hough, Rupert Lloyd; Fletcher, Tony; Leonardi, Giovanni Sebastiano; Goessler, Walter; Gnagnarella, Patrizia; Clemens, Felicity; Gurzau, Eugen; Koppova, Kvetoslava; Rudnai, Peter; Kumar, Rajiv; Vahter, Marie

2010-06-01

Methods and results are presented for an arsenic exposure assessment integral to an epidemiological case-control study of arsenic and cancer-the European Commission funded ASHRAM (Arsenic Health Risk Assessment and Molecular Epidemiology) study carried out in some counties of Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. The exposure history of each participant (N = 1,392) was constructed by taking into account how much water they consumed (as water, in drinks and in food), sources of drinking water in their various residences over their lifetime, and the concentrations of arsenic in their various water supplies measured by Hydride Generation-Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (HG-AAS). Concentrations of arsenic in previous water supplies were either derived from contemporary analyses of the same source, or from routine historical data from measurements performed by the authorities in each country. Using this approach, 80% of the recorded lifetime residential history was matched to an arsenic concentration. Seven indices of current, life time, and peak exposure were calculated. The exposure indices were all log-normally distributed and the mean and median lifetime average concentrations were in Hungary 14.7 and 13.3 microg l(-1), Romania 3.8 and 0.7 microg l(-1) and in Slovakia 1.9 and 0.8 microg l(-1), respectively. Overall 25% of the population had average concentrations over 10 microg l(-1) and 8% with exposure over 50 microg l(-1). Careful assessment of arsenic in drinking water supplies (both current and previous) enabled the majority of study participants' cumulative lifetime of potential exposure to arsenic in residential water to be characterised.

15 CFR 743.3 - Thermal imaging camera reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... controlled by ECCN 6A003.b.4.b to Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan...

SOF as a Learning Organization

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

and are tolerant to reaction against innovation and organizational adjustments. Typically, inputs from experience are incorporated in a tardy manner...165 Countries included Colombia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines , Sri Lanka

[Analysis of maternal morbidity and mortality in Slovak Republic in the years 2007-2012].

PubMed

Korbeľ, M; Krištúfková, A; Dugátová, M; Daniš, J; Némethová, B; Kaščák, P; Nižňanská, Z

Analysis of maternal morbidity and mortality in Slovak Republic (SR) in the years 2007-2012. Epidemiological perinatological nation-wide. 1st Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics School of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. The analysis of selected maternal morbidity and mortality data prospective collected in the years 2007-2012 from all obstetrics hospitals in the Slovak Republic. Caesarean section rate progressively increased from 24.1% in the year 2007 up to 30.3% in the year 2012. In the year 2012 the frequency of vacuum-extraction was 1.4%, forceps 0.6%, perineal tears 3th and 4th degree 0.49% and episiotomy 65%. Incidence of total severe acute maternal morbidity was 6.34 per 1,000 births. Incidence (per 1,000 births) of transport to anaesthesiology department/intensive care unit was 2.32, postpartum hysterectomy 0.72, HELLP syndrome 0.63, eclampsia 0.29, abnormal placental invasion 0.37, uterine rupture 0.27, severe sepsis in pregnancy and puerperium 0.21. In the years 2007-2012 frequency of fatal amniotic fluid embolism was 2.46/100,000 maternities or 2.43/100,000 live-births. Maternal mortality ratio in this period was 14 per 100,000 live births and pregnancy-related deaths ratio was 11.9 per 100,000 live births. In the year 2012 Slovakia reached the highest caesarean section rate in her own history - 30.3%. Incidence of severe acute maternal morbidity was 6.34 per 1,000 births. Maternal mortality ratio in Slovakia was one of the highest in European Union. Decreasing of caesarean section rate and episiotomy, incidence of severe acute maternal morbidity and maternal mortality still need to be improved in Slovak Republic.

The Impact of the Collapse of Communism and EU Accession on Language Education Policy and Practice in Central and Eastern Europe: Two Case-Studies Focussing on English and Russian as Foreign Languages in Hungary and Eastern Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruen, Jennifer; Sheridan, Vera

2016-01-01

This paper considers the impact of geopolitical factors, and in particular the collapse of Communism and EU accession, on language education policy and practice in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). CEE is understood here as referring to the former soviet-controlled, eastern bloc counties of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary,…

Enhancing the Role of Social Partner Organisations in the Area of Vocational Education and Training in the Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Institutional Arrangements. Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).

The role of social partner organizations in vocational education and training (VET) has been compared for Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia. In these countries, a system of industrial relations comparable to those existing in western Europe is emerging gradually.…

Cartographic evidence of the disastrous ice flood of 1809 and its aftermath (Danube River, Slovakia).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pišút, P.

2009-04-01

The 18th and early 19th century river maps are important data sources for studying past landscapes. This is not only as a result of improved surveying techniques, but also because they depict landscape during probably the most important climatic and land-use changes since the Middle Ages. In this phase of the increased river activity during the last onset of the so-called Little Ice Age period, several major flood events occured. Local manuscript maps, which often depict the channel in major detail, help us to obtain a better understanding of their geomorphic and other impacts. The catastrophic ice flood, which occured on the Middle Danube river at the end of January 1809 was undoubtedly the most disastrous event of its kind in Slovakia, although it also hit a number of settlements in Lower Austria and Hungary. Several people drowned and the flood also resulted in great damage to settlements and livestock. Devastating effects of this flood particularly as to the towns of Bratislava and Komárno/Komárom were comparable with effects of disastrous floods of February 1830 in Vienna (Austria), March 1838 in Buda/Pest (Hungary) or 1845 flood in Prague (Czech Republic), respectively. In case of the present Slovakian capital Bratislava, on January 29, 1809, two ice barriers suddenly rose the water up to 10 m above the zero level and the river quickly overflowed its banks inundating the low-lying parts of the town. The flood blacked out communications with neighbouring regions. Record-breaking height of water led to breaches of the important right-bank embankment (constructed in 1770s). Through several openings water flooded the right bank, almost completely destroying the adjacent village of Petržalka/Engerau. The damage to Vienna highway levee was so massive that it only could be repaired 16 years later, in 1825-6 (although this was also due to Napoleonic wars). The flood also reactivated the Chorvátske rameno anabranch, 33 years after its abandonment. A number of local manuscript maps depict the river before and after this event. Combined with written literary reports, the maps allow us to describe the course, the devastating effects and the aftermath consequences of the 1809 flood precisely, particularly as to the territory of the city of Bratislava itself. Moreover, many of these maps comprise a wealth of information about flood in their detailed explanatory legends and remarks. The most important maps and plans are those currently deposited in the National Archives of Hungary (= maps from the collection of former Governing Council, the central supervisory authority of the Habsburgs for the Hungarian Kingdom), in the Municipial Archives of Bratislava and the Slovak National Archives, respectively. Effects of the 1809 ice flood, as evidenced by historical maps and plans, can be generally summarised as follows: a) direct destruction (by ice floes) or collapse of houses, bridges, buildings, boat mills, groynes and bank revetments b) heavy lateral erosion of the river channel during this single event (then referred to as „damage to banks") c) breaches of protective dikes d) formation of new water bodies - temporary lakes - created by spilled water on the landside of levees e) reactivation of upstream entrances of some side channels f) pronounced changes of flooplain configuration g) damage to floodplain forest. This research was supported by the Slovak Scientific Grant agency VEGA (Project N. 1/0362/09).

Usutu virus, Austria and Hungary, 2010–2016

PubMed Central

Bakonyi, Tamás; Erdélyi, Károly; Brunthaler, René; Dán, Ádám; Weissenböck, Herbert; Nowotny, Norbert

2017-01-01

Usutu virus (USUV, Flaviviridae) was first reported in Europe in Austria in 2001, where it caused wild bird (mainly blackbird) mortality until 2005. Since 2006 no further USUV cases were diagnosed in the country. However, the virus emerged in other European countries (Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic) between 2005 and 2011. In 2016, widespread USUV-associated wild bird mortality was observed in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In this study, we report the results of passive monitoring for USUV in Austria and Hungary between 2010 and 2016. In Hungary, USUV caused sporadic cases of wild bird mortality between 2010 and 2015 (altogether 18 diagnosed cases), whereas in summer and autumn 2016 the number of cases considerably increased to 12 (ten blackbirds, one Eurasian jay and one starling). In Austria, USUV was identified in two blackbirds in 2016. Phylogenetic analyses of coding-complete genomes and partial regions of the NS5 protein gene revealed that USUVs from Hungary between 2010 and 2015 are closely related to the virus that emerged in Austria in 2001 and in Hungary in 2005, while one Hungarian sequence from 2015 and all sequences from Hungary and Austria from 2016 clustered together with USUV sequences reported from Italy between 2009 and 2010. The results of the study indicate continuous USUV circulation in the region and exchange of USUV strains between Italy, Austria and Hungary. PMID:29018253

Eastern Europe: pronatalist policies and private behavior.

PubMed

David, H P

1982-02-01

Fertility trends in the 9 Eastern European socialist countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, USSR, Yugoslavia) are reviewed. Official policy in all these countries but Yugoslavia is explicitly pronatalist to varying degrees. Attention is directed to the following areas: similarities and differences; fertility trends (historical trends, post World War 2 trends, and family size); abortion trends (abortion legislation history, current legislation, abortion data, impact on birth rates, abortion seekers, health risks, and psychological aftereffects); contraceptive availability and practice; pronatal economic incentives (impact on fertility); women's position; and marriage, divorce, and sexual attitudes. The fact that fertility was generally higher in the Eastern European socialist countries than in Western Europe in the mid-1970s is credited to pronatalist measures undertaken when fertility fell or threatened to fall below replacement level (2.1 births/woman) after abortion was liberalized in all countries but Albania, following the lead of the USSR in 1955. Fertility increased where access to abortion was again restricted (mildly in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary at various times, and severely in Romania in 1966) and/or economic incentives such as birth grants, paid maternity leave, family and child care allowances, and low interest loans to newlyweds were substantially increased (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland to some extent, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the German Democratic Republic in 1976). Subsequent declines in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Romania suggest that policy induced increases in fertility are short-lived. Couples respond to abortion restrictions by practicing more efficient contraception or resorting to illegal abortion. It is evident that the region's low birth rate is realized mainly with abortion, for withdrawal remains the primary contraceptive method in all countries but Hungary and the German Democratic Republic. It seems that cash incentives have advanced the timing of 1st and 2nd births without substantially increasing the 3rd births required to keep national fertility above replacement level. Demographic factors alone will most likely keep birth rates low in several Eastern European countries during the 1980s and the 1990s. Due to the low birth rates in the 1960s, there will be fewer women in the prime childbearing ages of 20-29 in at least Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Hungary. It becomes clear that policy efforts to influence private reproductive behavior can only be moderately successful if the living conditions are such that women are determined not to have more than 1 or 2 children.

Treatment patterns, health care utilization, and costs of ovarian cancer in Central and Eastern Europe using a Delphi panel based on a retrospective chart review.

PubMed

Kim, Kun; Hernlund, Emma; Hernadi, Zoltán; Révész, János; Pete, Imre; Szánthó, András; Bodnar, Lubomir; Madry, Rodoslaw; Timorek-Lemieszczuk, Agnieszka; Bozanovic, Tatjana; Vasovic, Suzana; Tomasevic, Zorica; Zivaljevic, Milica; Pazin, Vladimir; Minárik, Tomáš; Garanová, Hana; Helpianska, Lýdia; Justo, Nahila

2013-06-01

Despite the considerable disease burden of ovarian cancer, there were no cost studies in Central and Eastern Europe. This study aimed to describe treatment patterns, health care utilization, and costs associated with treating ovarian cancer in Hungary, Poland, Serbia, and Slovakia. Overall clinical practice for management of epithelial ovarian cancer was investigated through a 3-round Delphi panel. Experts completed a survey based on the chart review (n = 1542). The survey was developed based on clinical guidelines and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Annual Report. Means, ranges, and outlier values were discussed with the experts during a telephone interview. Finally, consensus estimates were obtained in face-to-face workshops. Based on these results, overall cost of ovarian cancer was estimated using a Markov model. The patients included in the chart review were followed up from presurgical diagnosis and in each phase of treatment, that is, surgical staging and primary surgery, chemotherapy and chemotherapy monitoring, follow-up, and palliative care. The 5-year overall cost per patient was €14,100 to €16,300 in Hungary, €14,600 to €15,800 in Poland, €7600 to €8100 in Serbia, and €12,400 to €14,500 in Slovakia. The main components were chemotherapy-associated costs (68%-74% of the total cost), followed by cost of primary treatment with surgery (15%-21%) and palliative care (3%-10%). Patients with ovarian cancer consume considerable health care resources and incur substantial costs in Central and Eastern Europe. These findings may prove useful for clinicians and decision makers in understanding the economic implications of managing ovarian cancer in Central and Eastern Europe and the need for innovative therapies.

Inorganic Arsenic and Basal Cell Carcinoma in Areas of Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia: A Case–Control Study

PubMed Central

Leonardi, Giovanni; Vahter, Marie; Clemens, Felicity; Goessler, Walter; Gurzau, Eugen; Hemminki, Kari; Hough, Rupert; Koppova, Kvetoslava; Kumar, Rajiv; Rudnai, Peter; Surdu, Simona

2012-01-01

Background: Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a potent carcinogen, but there is a lack of information about cancer risk for concentrations < 100 μg/L in drinking water. Objectives: We aimed to quantify skin cancer relative risks in relation to iAs exposure < 100 μg/L and the modifying effects of iAs metabolism. Methods: The Arsenic Health Risk Assessment and Molecular Epidemiology (ASHRAM) study, a case–control study, was conducted in areas of Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia with reported presence of iAs in groundwater. Consecutively diagnosed cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin were histologically confirmed; controls were general surgery, orthopedic, and trauma patients who were frequency matched to cases by age, sex, and area of residence. Exposure indices were constructed based on information on iAs intake over the lifetime of participants. iAs metabolism status was classified based on urinary concentrations of methylarsonic acid (MA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Associations were estimated by multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 529 cases with BCC and 540 controls were recruited for the study. BCC was positively associated with three indices of iAs exposure: peak daily iAs dose rate, cumulative iAs dose, and lifetime average water iAs concentration. The adjusted odds ratio per 10-μg/L increase in average lifetime water iAs concentration was 1.18 (95% confidence interval: 1.08, 1.28). The estimated effect of iAs on cancer was stronger in participants with urinary markers indicating incomplete metabolism of iAs: higher percentage of MA in urine or a lower percentage of DMA. Conclusion: We found a positive association between BCC and exposure to iAs through drinking water with concentrations < 100 μg/L. PMID:22436128

On the Right To Use the Language of One's Choice in Slovakia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kontra, Miklos

1997-01-01

The text of a November 1995 Slovak Republic law concerning language use in that country is translated and analyzed from the perspective of a recent Linguistic Society of America (LSA) statement on language rights stating that speakers be allowed to express themselves, publicly or privately, in the language of their choice. The law provides that…

Results of a Research Evaluating Quality of Computer Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Záhorec, Ján; Hašková, Alena; Munk, Michal

2012-01-01

The paper presents the results of an international research on a comparative assessment of the current status of computer science education at the secondary level (ISCED 3A) in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Belgium. Evaluation was carried out based on 14 specific factors gauging the students' point of view. The authors present qualitative…

Is Tertiary Education Expansion Observable in Private Returns to Education? (Evidence for Middle and Eastern European Countries)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Štefánik, Miroslav; Horvát, Peter

2015-01-01

This article provides evidence about differences in the recent tertiary education expansion in Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Focusing on these differences, we have examined private returns to tertiary education acquired before and after the tertiary education expansion. We compare these returns as follows: Austria with…

Cross National Study on Pre-Service Elementary and Science Teachers' Opinions on Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Šorgo, Andrej; Pipenbaher, Nataša; Šašic, Slavica Šimic; Prokop, Pavol; Kubiatko, Milan; Golob, Nika; Erdogan, Mehmet; Tomažic, Iztok; Bilek, Martin; Fancovicova, Jana; Lamanauskas, Vincentas; Usak, Muhammet

2015-01-01

Cross national study on opinions on science teaching was revealed on a sample of 1799 (596 males, 1203 females) pre-service elementary and science teachers' enrolled in various departments at selected universities in Croatia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey. Three factors explaining 43.4% of variance were extracted from a…

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-06

Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany , Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New...suspension of RIK fill as an amendment to a flood insurance bill (H.R. 3121) that was subsequently passed (92-6). The amendment would permit resumption of...operation of oil markets after the experiences of the 1970s, and deregulation of oil price and supply. Sales of SPR oil authorized by the 104th

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) in 32 countries. Review of the general methodology.

PubMed

Ruperto, N; Ravelli, A; Pistorio, A; Malattia, C; Cavuto, S; Gado-West, L; Tortorelli, A; Landgraf, J M; Singh, G; Martini, A

2001-01-01

The aim of this project was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the American English version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and of the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) in the 32 different member countries of the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation (PRINTO). This effort forms part of an international study supported by the European Union to evaluate the health-related quality of life in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) as compared to their healthy peers. A total of 6,644 subjects were enrolled from 32 countries: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Korea, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Yugoslavia. A total of 3,235 patients had JIA (20% systemic onset, 33% polyarticular onset, 17% extended oligoarticular subtype, and 30% persistent oligoarticular subtype) while 3,409 were healthy children. This introductory paper describes the methodology used by all the participants. The results and the translated version of both the CHAQ and the CHQ for each country are fully reported in the following papers. The results of the present study show that cross-cultural adaptation is a valid process to obtain reliable instruments for the different socio-economic and socio-demographic conditions of the countries participating in the project.

Welding and lung cancer in Central and Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom.

PubMed

't Mannetje, Andrea; Brennan, Paul; Zaridze, David; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Neonila; Rudnai, Peter; Lissowska, Jolanta; Fabiánová, Eleonóra; Cassidy, Adrian; Mates, Dana; Bencko, Vladimir; Foretova, Lenka; Janout, Vladimir; Fevotte, Joelle; Fletcher, Tony; Boffetta, Paolo

2012-04-01

Occupation as a welder has been associated with a 25%-40% increase in lung cancer risk. This study aims to elucidate to what extent confounding by smoking and asbestos drives this association and to evaluate the role of welding-related exposures such as chromium. The study included 2,197 male incident lung cancer cases and 2,295 controls from Romania, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom from 1998 to 2001. Information on risk factors was collected through face-to-face interviews. Experts assessed exposure to 70 agents, and risk estimates were adjusted for smoking and occupational exposures. Occupation as a welder/flame cutter (prevalence controls: 3.7%) was associated with an odds ratio of 1.36 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00, 1.86) after adjustment for smoking and occupational exposures including asbestos. An odds ratio of 1.18 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.38) was found for welding fumes (prevalence controls: 22.8%), increasing to 1.38 for more than 25 exposure years (95% CI: 1.09, 1.75). A duration-response association was also observed for mild steel welding without chromium exposure. In this population, occupational exposure to welding fumes accounted for approximately 4% of lung cancer cases, to which both stainless and mild steel welding contributed equally. Given that welding remains a common task for many workers, exposure to welding fumes represents an important risk factor for lung cancer.

Justice Delayed

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract Tens of thousands of women were coercively sterilized in Czechoslovakia and its successor states. Romani women were particularly targeted for these measures. These practices stopped only in 2004, as a result of international pressure. Although some measures have been taken to ensure that these practices are not repeated, to date neither the Czech Republic nor Slovakia have completed the work of providing effective remedy to victims, as is their right. This article focusses on efforts in the Czech Republic. It concludes that, inter alia, an administrative mechanism is needed to provide financial compensation to victims, since the road to remedy via courts is effectively blocked. PMID:29302159

Comparison of drought occurrence in selected Slovak and Czech catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fendekova, Miriam; Fendek, Marian; Porubska, Diana; Hanel, Martin; Horacek, Stanislav; Martinkova, Marta; Vizina, Adam

2014-05-01

The presented study is focused on the analysis and comparison of hydrological drought occurrence, development and duration in six small to middle sized catchments in the Czech Republic (CZ) and Slovakia. The main questions to be answered are: (1) are there correlations between the physical conditions in the catchments and drought occurrence, and (2) does the spatial trend of drought occurrence exist. The Žitava catchment is located in the central western part of Slovakia having runoff dominated by rainfall with the contribution of snow melting during the spring period. The Belá River catchment is located on the contact of Západné and Vysoké Tatry Mts. in the north of Slovakia. The runoff is snow to snow-rain combined type. The Ľupčianka catchment is located on the northern slopes of the Nízke Tatry Mts. in the northern part of the central Slovakia. The runoff regime is snow-rain combined in the upper part of the catchment, and of rain-snow type in the rest of catchment. The Rakovnický potok brook (CZ) has its spring in Rakovnická pahorkatina hilly land. Runoff is dominated by rainfall, quite heavily influenced by water uptakes in the catchment. The Teplá River (CZ) originates in peat meadows in the western part of the Czech Republic. Runoff is dominated by rainfall. The Metuje catchment (CZ) is formed by Adršsbach-Teplické stěny Upland. The headwater part is typical by deeply incest valleys, table mountains and pseudokarst caves. The discharge is fed dominantly by groundwater. The streamflow drought was characterized using discharge data, the groundwater drought using the base flow values. The local minimum method was used for base flow separation. The threshold level method (Q80, BF80) and the sequent peak algorithm were used for calculation of drought duration in discharge and base flow time series. The data of the same three decades of the common period (1971 - 1980, 1981 - 1990 and 1991 - 2000) were used. The resulting base flow values along with the discharges were re-calculated into specific discharge and base flow. The results showed that drought occurrence in evaluated Czech and Slovak catchment reflects very variable physical conditions in catchments, first of all the location of the catchment (latitude and altitude). The latitude difference reflects itself in starting time of drought which often propagates from the west to the east. The altitude is reflected in the seasonal pattern of drought, where drought in higher altitudes occurs much often in winter-spring period whereas in lower altitudes the summer-autumn droughts prevail. Total number of droughts with duration of more than 50 days was much higher in Slovak than in Czech catchments, which could reflect the more continental character of climate in Slovakia. Drought occurrence in Žitava catchment often followed the drought in Czech catchments; especially the drought in Teplá. On the other hand, drought occurrence in the Metuje catchment was in some cases closer to drought development in Slovakia than in other two Czech catchments. The longest drought in discharges, estimated for Rakovnický potok by the method of SPA lasting for 1569 days in 2006 - 2010 period was caused probably by the human activities, because in none of other evaluated catchments such a long drought in the same or similar period occurred. Acknowledgments The research was done and results were published with the financial contribution of project No. APVV-0089-12 as well as projects No. 7AMB12SK167 and APVV-SK-CZ-0156-11 financed by the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic and APVV agency of the Slovak Republic.

Usutu virus, Austria and Hungary, 2010-2016.

PubMed

Bakonyi, Tamás; Erdélyi, Károly; Brunthaler, René; Dán, Ádám; Weissenböck, Herbert; Nowotny, Norbert

2017-10-11

Usutu virus (USUV, Flaviviridae) was first reported in Europe in Austria in 2001, where it caused wild bird (mainly blackbird) mortality until 2005. Since 2006 no further USUV cases were diagnosed in the country. However, the virus emerged in other European countries (Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic) between 2005 and 2011. In 2016, widespread USUV-associated wild bird mortality was observed in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In this study, we report the results of passive monitoring for USUV in Austria and Hungary between 2010 and 2016. In Hungary, USUV caused sporadic cases of wild bird mortality between 2010 and 2015 (altogether 18 diagnosed cases), whereas in summer and autumn 2016 the number of cases considerably increased to 12 (ten blackbirds, one Eurasian jay and one starling). In Austria, USUV was identified in two blackbirds in 2016. Phylogenetic analyses of coding-complete genomes and partial regions of the NS5 protein gene revealed that USUVs from Hungary between 2010 and 2015 are closely related to the virus that emerged in Austria in 2001 and in Hungary in 2005, while one Hungarian sequence from 2015 and all sequences from Hungary and Austria from 2016 clustered together with USUV sequences reported from Italy between 2009 and 2010. The results of the study indicate continuous USUV circulation in the region and exchange of USUV strains between Italy, Austria and Hungary.Emerging Microbes &Infections (2017) 6, e85; doi:10.1038/emi.2017.72; published online 11 October 2017.

Reform Programme for Higher Education in the Hungarian People's Republic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palovecz, Janos

1985-01-01

Hungary's plans and objectives for higher education development are summarized regarding the function of higher education, the length of training programs, the educational process, scientific research, teacher and student characteristics, institutional cooperation, financial conditions, and institutional management. (MSE)

Regional mortality by socioeconomic factors in Slovakia: a comparison of 15 years of changes.

PubMed

Rosicova, Katarina; Bosakova, Lucia; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Rosic, Martin; Andrejkovic, Marek; Žežula, Ivan; Groothoff, Johan W; van Dijk, Jitse P

2016-07-19

Like most Central European countries Slovakia has experienced a period of socioeconomic changes and at the same time a decline in the mortality rate. Therefore, the aim is to study socioeconomic factors that changed over time and simultaneously contributed to regional differences in mortality. The associations between selected socioeconomic indicators and the standardised mortality rate in the population aged 20-64 years in the districts of the Slovak Republic in the periods 1997-1998 and 2012-2013 were analysed using linear regression models. A higher proportion of inhabitants in material need, and among males also lower income, significantly contributed to higher standardised mortality in both periods. The unemployment rate did not contribute to this prediction. Between the two periods no significant changes in regional mortality differences by the selected socioeconomic factors were found. Despite the fact that economic growth combined with investments of European structural funds contributed to the improvement of the socioeconomic situation in many districts of Slovakia, there are still districts which remain "poor" and which maintain regional mortality differences.

Reoccurrence of botulinum neurotoxin subtype A3 inducing food-borne botulism, Slovakia, 2015.

PubMed

Mad'arová, Lucia; Dorner, Brigitte G; Schaade, Lars; Donáth, Vladimír; Avdičová, Mária; Fatkulinová, Milota; Strhársky, Jozef; Sedliačiková, Ivana; Klement, Cyril; Dorner, Martin B

2017-08-10

A case of food-borne botulism occurred in Slovakia in 2015. Clostridium botulinum type A was isolated from three nearly empty commercial hummus tubes. The product, which was sold in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, was withdrawn from the market and a warning was issued immediately through the European Commission's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Further investigation revealed the presence of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) subtype BoNT/A3, a very rare subtype implicated in only one previous outbreak (Loch Maree in Scotland, 1922). It is the most divergent subtype of BoNT/A with 15.4% difference at the amino acid level compared with the prototype BoNT/A1. This makes it more prone to evading immunological and PCR-based detection. It is recommended that testing laboratories are advised that this subtype has been associated with food-borne botulism for the second time since the first outbreak almost 100 years ago, and to validate their immunological or PCR-based methods against this divergent subtype. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2017.

Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loh, Eudora I.

1994-01-01

Annotates 25 publications from 19 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Dominican Republic, Hungary, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa, and Venezuela. Topics include the environment, women's role, and household consumption and expenditures. The publication of an…

9 CFR 94.11 - Restrictions on importation of meat and other animal products from specified regions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Namibia (excluding the region north... by adding the words, “Republic of Korea,” after the word “Japan,”, effective Jan. 12, 2010. At 75 FR...

Four different sublineages of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 introduced in Hungary in 2006-2007.

PubMed

Szeleczky, Zsófia; Dán, Adám; Ursu, Krisztina; Ivanics, Eva; Kiss, István; Erdélyi, Károly; Belák, Sándor; Muller, Claude P; Brown, Ian H; Bálint, Adám

2009-10-20

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses were introduced to Hungary during 2006-2007 in three separate waves. This study aimed at determining the full-length genomic coding regions of the index strains from these epizootics in order to: (i) understand the phylogenetic relationship to other European H5N1 isolates, (ii) elucidate the possible connection between the different outbreaks and (iii) determine the putative origin and way of introduction of the different virus variants. Molecular analysis of the HA gene of Hungarian HPAI isolates obtained from wild birds during the first introduction revealed two groups designated Hungarian1 (HUN1) and Hungarian2 (HUN2) within sublineage 2.2B and clade 2.2.1, respectively. Sequencing the whole coding region of the two index viruses A/mute swan/Hungary/3472/2006 and A/mute swan/4571/Hungary/2006 suggests the role of wild birds in the introduction of HUN1 and HUN2 viruses: the most similar isolates to HUN1 and HUN2 group were found in wild avian species in Croatia and Slovakia, respectively. The second introduction of HPAI H5N1 led to the largest epizootic in domestic waterfowl in Europe. The index strain of the epizootic A/goose/Hungary/14756/2006 clustered to sublineage 2.2.A1 forming the Hungarian3 (HUN3) group. A common ancestry of HUN3 isolates with Bavarian strains is suggested as the most likely scenario of origin. Hungarian4 (HUN4) viruses isolated from the third introduction clustered with isolate A/turkey/United Kingdom/750/2007 forming a sublineage 2.2.A2. The origin and way of introduction of HUN4 viruses is still obscure, thus further genetic, phylogenetic, ecological and epidemiological data are required in order to elucidate it.

International Partnerships for Civic Education and Democracy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, John J., Ed.; Weakland, John E., Ed.

1997-01-01

This theme issue of "The International Journal of Social Education" contains 11 articles all concerned with efforts to promote civic education in post-communist countries, particularly former Soviet-Bloc nations, including Latvia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Russia. Described are international partnerships for civic…

Hungary: a health system in transition.

PubMed

Mendoza, E M; Henderson, B J

1996-03-01

Hungary has an area of 93,030 square kilometers (35,900 square miles), the size of the state of Indiana in the United States. It is landlocked by the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic to the north, Austria to the west, Yugoslavia to the south, and Romania and the Soviet Union to the east. Although the health care system is based on the Soviet system, there have been dramatic changes since 1991, when the soviet Union and its Eastern European partners discarded their communist structures and the Soviet empire was disbanded. In this report, the current Hungarian health care system and the political structure in which it is housed will be described in terms of a key set of characteristics and their subparts. The purpose of this approach is to facilitate comparison of the Hungarian system with other national health care systems. An expanded version of this article will appear in an upcoming second edition of the College's book, International Health Care: A Framework for Comparing National Health Care Systems, by Drs. Mendoza and Henderson.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanzel, A.; Holubec, J.; Ursiny, J.

The Slovak Republic is the country with very insufficient amounts of primary sources. That is why almost 90% of used fuel has to be imported. In addition Slovakia does not have direct access to the sea and cheap tankers transportation is not available. The only possibility for Slovakia in the near future from the point of needs and increasing electricity generation is nuclear power. As part of the former Czechoslovakia, Slovakia started to build the second nuclear power plant in the Mochovce village. Consequently with huge political and social changes in November 1989 and essential deficiency of investment money constructionmore » of nuclear power plant was stopped. Under considerable press by the non-governmental organizations (i.e. Greenpeace etc.) one of the main reason was to find out the formulation of feasibility and economic advantages of Mochovce completion very thoroughly and precisely even though the first unit has been completed approximately by 80%. As a grant from the European Union some financial sources were given to promote training process. Some financial sources obtained from the grant by the European Union have been given to promote the training process in the Slovak Republic. A brief description of methods which have been carried out to determine the best economic option for development of the company is part of material. Result is the only reasonable option is to complete nuclear power plant Mochovce not only from economic point of view. Several international pre operational audit team reviews by nuclear safety teams were sent by IAAE Vienna. Goals of these teams were to examine if safety is at the appropriate and accepted level and if the next operation would be acceptable. Models which are presently used in Slovenske elektrarne, a.s. have all the features of integrated resource planning.« less

Regional differences of standardised mortality rates for ischemic heart diseases in the Slovak Republic for the period 1996-2013 in the context of income inequality.

PubMed

Gavurová, Beáta; Vagašová, Tatiana

2016-12-01

The aim of paper is to analyse the development of standardised mortality rates for ischemic heart diseases in relation to the income inequality in the regions of Slovakia. This paper assesses different types of income indicators, such as mean equivalised net income per household, Gini coefficient, unemployment rate, at risk of poverty threshold (60 % of national median), S80/S20 and their effect on mortality. Using data from the Slovak mortality database 1996-2013, the method of direct standardisation was applied to eliminate variances resulted from differences in age structures of the population across regions and over time. To examine the relationships between income indicators and standardised mortality rates, we used the tools of descriptive statistics and methods of correlation and regression analysis. At first, we show that Slovakia has the worst values of standardised mortality rates for ischemic heart diseases in EU countries. Secondly, mortality rates are significantly higher for males compared with females. Thirdly, mortality rates are improving from Eastern Slovakia to Western Slovakia; additionally, high differences in the results of variability are seen among Slovak regions. Finally, the unemployment rate, the poverty rate and equivalent disposable income were statistically significant income indicators. Main contribution of paper is to demonstrate regional differences between mortality and income inequality, and to point out the long-term unsatisfactory health outcomes.

Human papillomavirus prevalence and type-distribution, cervical cancer screening practices and current status of vaccination implementation in Central and Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Poljak, Mario; Seme, Katja; Maver, Polona J; Kocjan, Boštjan J; Cuschieri, Kate S; Rogovskaya, Svetlana I; Arbyn, Marc; Syrjänen, Stina

2013-12-31

We present a review of current cervical cancer screening practices, the implementation status of vaccination against human papillomaviruses (HPV) and available data concerning the burden of HPV infection and HPV type-specific distribution in 16 Central and Eastern European countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia. Since published data were relatively scarce, two detailed surveys were conducted during August-October 2011 and in January 2013 to obtain relevant and updated information. The mean prevalence of HPV infection in 8610 women with normal cervical cytology from the region was 12.6%, with HPV16 being the most frequent HPV type. The overall HPV DNA prevalence in women with high-grade cervical lesions was 78.1%. HPV DNA was found in 86.6% of cervical cancers; the combined prevalence of HPV16/18 among HPV positive cases was 87.5%. The overall HPV DNA prevalence in genital warts and laryngeal papillomas was 94.8% and 95.2%, respectively, with HPV6 and HPV11 being the most frequent types. Opportunistic and organized cervical screening, mainly based on conventional cytology, is performed in nine and seven countries in the region, respectively, with the proposed age of the start of screening ranging from 20 to 30 years and the estimated coverage ranging from a few percent to over 70%. At least one of the current HPV prophylactic vaccines is registered in all Central and Eastern European countries except Montenegro. Only Bulgaria, Czech Republic, FYR Macedonia, Latvia, Romania and Slovenia have actually integrated HPV vaccination into their national immunization programme and currently provide routine vaccination free of charge to the primary target population. The key reasons for lack of implementation of HPV vaccination into the national immunization programme are high vaccine cost and negative public perception. This article forms part of a regional report entitled "Comprehensive Control of HPV Infections and Related Diseases in the Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region" Vaccine Volume 31, Supplement 7, 2013. Updates of the progress in the field are presented in a separate monograph entitled "Comprehensive Control of HPV Infections and Related Diseases" Vaccine Volume 30, Supplement 5, 2012. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reading Disabilities: An International Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarnopol, Lester, Ed.; Tarnopol, Muriel, Ed.

This volume includes essays on reading disabilities in such places as Argentina, Austria, Belgium, China, Canada, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, The Netherlands, Rhodesia, Republic of South Africa, and the United States. Most of the 20 essays include the background of special education in the…

International Collaboration and Spatial Dynamics of US Patenting in Central and Eastern Europe 1981-2010

PubMed Central

Lengyel, Balázs; Leskó, Mariann

2016-01-01

How did post-socialist transition and a parallel shift in international labor division restructure regional innovation systems in Central and Eastern Europe? This question is increasingly important, because current EU innovation policy is combined with regional development in Smart Specialization Strategies; however, spatial trends of innovation in Central and Eastern Europe are not fully understood which might lead to less than perfectly efficient policy. In this paper we describe the spatial dynamics of inventor activity in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia between 1981 and 2010 –a period that covers both the late socialist era and the post-socialist transition. Cleaning and analyzing the publicly available data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office we illustrate that Central and Eastern European patents made in international co-operations with partners outside the region receive more citations than those Central and Eastern European patents that lack international co-operation. Furthermore, the technological portfolio of the former patents has become increasingly independent from the technological portfolio of the latter class. A town-level analysis of the applicant-inventor ties reveals that inventors have started to work for foreign assignees in those towns where no innovation activity had been recorded before. However, the positive effect does not last long and patenting seems to be only periodic in the majority of these towns. Therefore, innovation policy in Central and Eastern European countries, as well as in other less developed regions, shall foster synergies between international and domestic collaborations in order to decrease regional disparities in patenting. PMID:27846288

International Collaboration and Spatial Dynamics of US Patenting in Central and Eastern Europe 1981-2010.

PubMed

Lengyel, Balázs; Leskó, Mariann

2016-01-01

How did post-socialist transition and a parallel shift in international labor division restructure regional innovation systems in Central and Eastern Europe? This question is increasingly important, because current EU innovation policy is combined with regional development in Smart Specialization Strategies; however, spatial trends of innovation in Central and Eastern Europe are not fully understood which might lead to less than perfectly efficient policy. In this paper we describe the spatial dynamics of inventor activity in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia between 1981 and 2010 -a period that covers both the late socialist era and the post-socialist transition. Cleaning and analyzing the publicly available data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office we illustrate that Central and Eastern European patents made in international co-operations with partners outside the region receive more citations than those Central and Eastern European patents that lack international co-operation. Furthermore, the technological portfolio of the former patents has become increasingly independent from the technological portfolio of the latter class. A town-level analysis of the applicant-inventor ties reveals that inventors have started to work for foreign assignees in those towns where no innovation activity had been recorded before. However, the positive effect does not last long and patenting seems to be only periodic in the majority of these towns. Therefore, innovation policy in Central and Eastern European countries, as well as in other less developed regions, shall foster synergies between international and domestic collaborations in order to decrease regional disparities in patenting.

Differences in Gender Norms Between Countries: Are They Valid? The Issue of Measurement Invariance.

PubMed

Weziak-Bialowolska, Dorota

The values and attitudes towards gender roles are often investigated and compared from a cross-country perspective without the proper statistical treatment of the measurement invariance (MI) assessment. This implies that the conclusions based on composite scales of gender norms, gender role attitudes or gender egalitarianism, to name only a few, may be questionable. In this study, we address this lack by investigating the cross-country MI properties of the Gender Equality Scale (GES) based on World Value Survey data. We use multi-group confirmatory factor analysis with and without alignment to determine the configural, weak, strong and strict MI. The results show that the concept of gender equality is not comparable across all countries involved in the survey. In particular, it seems to differ between Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe. We claim that only selected Central and Eastern European countries exhibit a configural MI but fail to show full weak MI and definitely fail to show full strong and full strict MI. However, under the aligned measurement framework, we succeeded in showing that for these countries, comparisons of the country rankings with respect to the GES are valid provided that a correction for non-invariance of certain factor loadings and/or intercepts is applied. Our study shows that the most egalitarian gender role attitudes measured by the GES are observed in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania and Croatia. They are significantly higher than the gender equality attitudes recorded in the lowest scoring countries Poland, Slovakia, Albania and Romania.

Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Diabetes: From Evidence to Clinical Reality in Central and Eastern Europe—Recommendations from the International Central-Eastern European Expert Group

PubMed Central

Barkai, László; Bolgarska, Svetlana; Bronisz, Agata; Broz, Jan; Cypryk, Katarzyna; Honka, Marek; Janez, Andrej; Krnic, Mladen; Lalic, Nebojsa; Martinka, Emil; Rahelic, Dario; Roman, Gabriela; Tankova, Tsvetalina; Várkonyi, Tamás; Wolnik, Bogumił; Zherdova, Nadia

2014-01-01

Abstract Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is universally considered to be an integral part of type 1 diabetes management and crucial for optimizing the safety and efficacy of complex insulin regimens. This extends to type 2 diabetes patients on intensive insulin therapy, and there is also a growing body of evidence suggesting that structured SMBG is beneficial for all type 2 diabetes patients, regardless of therapy. However, access to SMBG can be limited in many countries in Central and Eastern Europe. A consensus group of diabetes experts from 10 countries in this region (with overlapping historical, political, and social environments)—Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine—was formed to discuss the role of SMBG across the spectrum of patients with diabetes. The group considered SMBG to be an essential tool that should be accessible to all patients with diabetes, including those with non–insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. The current article summarizes the evidence put forward by the consensus group and provides their recommendations for the appropriate use of SMBG as part of individualized patient management. The ultimate goal of these evidence-based recommendations is to help patients and providers in Central and Eastern Europe to make optimal use of SMBG in order to maximize the efficacy and safety of glucose-lowering therapies, to prevent complications, and to empower the patient to play a more active role in the management of their diabetes. PMID:24716890

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) as new Stockholm Convention POPs--a global perspective on the management of Lindane and its waste isomers.

PubMed

Vijgen, John; Abhilash, P C; Li, Yi Fan; Lal, Rup; Forter, Martin; Torres, Joao; Singh, Nandita; Yunus, Mohammad; Tian, Chongguo; Schäffer, Andreas; Weber, Roland

2011-02-01

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α-, β- and γ- (Lindane)) were recently included as new persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Stockholm Convention, and therefore, the legacy of HCH and Lindane production became a contemporary topic of global relevance. This article wants to briefly summarise the outcomes of the Stockholm Convention process and make an estimation of the amount of HCH waste generated and dumped in the former Lindane/HCH-producing countries. In a preliminary assessment, the countries and the respective amount of HCH residues stored and deposited from Lindane production are estimated. Between 4 and 7 million tones of wastes of toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative residues (largely consisting of alpha- (approx. 80%) and beta-HCH) are estimated to have been produced and discarded around the globe during 60 years of Lindane production. For approximately 1.9 million tones, information is available regarding deposition. Countries are: Austria, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, The Netherlands, UK, USA, and former USSR. The paper highlights the environmental relevance of deposited HCH wastes and the related POPs' contaminated sites and provides suggestions for further steps to address the challenge of the legacy of HCH/Lindane production. It can be expected that most locations where HCH waste was discarded/stockpiled are not secured and that critical environmental impacts are resulting from leaching and volatilization. As parties to the Stockholm Convention are legally required to take action to stop further POPs pollution, identification and evaluation of such sites are necessary.

The stellar occultation by the dwarf planet Haumea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos-Sanz, Pablo; Ortiz, Jose Luis; Sicardy, Bruno; Rossi, Gustavo; Berard, Diane; Morales, Nicolas; Duffard, Rene; Braga-Ribas, Felipe; Hopp, Ulrich; Ries, Christoph; Nascimbeni, Valerio; Marzari, Francesco; Granata, Valentina; Pál, András; Kiss, Csaba; Pribulla, Theodor; Milan Komzík, Richard; Hornoch, Kamil; Pravec, Petr; Bacci, Paolo; Maestripieri, Martina; Nerli, Luca; Mazzei, Leonardo; Bachini, Mauro; Martinelli, Fabio; Succi, Giacomo; Ciabattari, Fabrizio; Mikuz, Herman; Carbognani, Albino; Gaehrken, Bernd; Mottola, Stefano; Hellmich, Stephan; Rommel, Flavia; Fernández-Valenzuela, Estela; Campo Bagatin, Adriano; Haumea occultation international Collaboration: https://cloud.iaa.csic.es/public.php?service=files&t=d9276f8ab1a316cef13bee28bef75add

2017-10-01

The dwarf planet Haumea is a very peculiar Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) with unique and exotic characteristics. It is currently classified as one of the five dwarf planets of the solar system, and it is the only one for which size, shape, albedo, density and other basic properties were not accurately known. To solve that we predicted an occultation of the star GaiaDR1 1233009038221203584 by Haumea and organized observations within the expected shadow path. Medium/large telescopes were needed to record the occultation with enough signal to noise ratio because the occulted star is of similar brightness as Haumea (R~17.7 mag). We will report results derived from this successful stellar occultation by Haumea on 2017 January 21st. The occultation was positive from 12 telescopes at 10 observing stations in Europe: the Asiago Observatory 1.8m telescope (Italy), the Mount Agliale Observatory 0.5m telescope (Italy), the Lajatico Astronomical Centre 0.5m telescope (Italy), the S.Marcello Pistoiese Observatory 0.6m telescope (Italy), the Crni Vrh Observatory 0.6m telescope (Slovenia), the Ondrejov Observatory 0.65m telescope (Czech Republic), the Bavarian Public Observatory 0.81m telescope (Germany), the Konkoly Observatory 1m and 0.6m telescopes (Hungary), the Skalnate Pleso Observatory 1.3m telescope (Slovakia), and the Wendelstein Observatory 2m and 0.4m telescopes (Germany). This is the occultation by a TNO with the largest number of chords ever recorded.Part of this work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 687378.

An update on molecular genetics of Alkaptonuria (AKU).

PubMed

Zatkova, Andrea

2011-12-01

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of homogentisate 1,2 dioxygenase (HGD) and characterized by homogentisic aciduria, ochronosis, and ochronotic arthritis. The defect is caused by mutations in the HGD gene, which maps to the human chromosome 3q21-q23. AKU shows a very low prevalence (1:100,000-250,000) in most ethnic groups, but there are countries such as Slovakia and the Dominican Republic in which the incidence of this disorder rises to as much as 1:19,000. In this work, we summarize the genetic aspects of AKU in general and the distribution of all known disease-causing mutations reported so far. We focus on special features of AKU in Slovakia, which is one of the countries with an increased incidence of this rare metabolic disorder.

EWork in EU Candidate Countries. IES Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mako, Csaba.; Keszi, Roland.

Using data of an 18-country employer survey and facts of company case studies of the EMERGENCE project, a project illustrated diffusion of eWork in 3 these Central European countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland. Mainstream views of the transforming economies and various practices of generic business services were studied. Establishments…

Young People's Views on Distributive Justice, Rights, and Obligations: A Cross-Cultural Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonsson, Britta; Flanagan, Constance

2000-01-01

Presents the results from a cross-cultural research project that explored adolescents' interpretation of the social contract (obligations, rights, and responsibilities between individuals and society) in seven countries, including Australia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. Includes appendices and…

Preventing Dropout: Lessons from Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Christopher; Baker, Tracey

2017-01-01

This book describes an initiative that has proved effective in keeping more young people from dropping out of education, training or employment. The authors present case studies based on in-depth interviews with participants from five widely divergent European countries--the UK, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Ireland--which illustrate the…

The Role of Children in Eastern European Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robila, Mihaela; Krishnakumar, Ambika

2004-01-01

This study examines the additive effect of attitudes towards gender roles and importance of marriage on the centrality of children in seven East European countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, the former East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Russia, and Slovenia using the data from the 1994 International Social Science Survey (ISSP). Results support…

Comparative Lessons for Democracy: An International Curriculum Development Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shinew, Dawn M.; Fischer, John M.

1997-01-01

Describes a project, Comparative Lessons for Democracy, to develop and publish lessons for high school students. Lessons compare institutions and processes of constitutional democracy in the United States and five post-communist countries involved in the Civitas international civic education programs: Latvia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary,…

War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Military Operations, and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-06

opposition, in particular from the Northern Alliance, a loose network dominated by ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks , primarily from northern Afghanistan...announced: Albania, 125; Croatia, 40; Czech Republic, 100; Germany, 500; Italy, 1,040; Lithuania, 20; Poland , 680; Portugal, 120; Romania, 700; Slovakia...Tajiks and Uzbeks —strongly represented in the Northern Alliance—predominated in Afghanistan’s fledgling army, at the expense of ethnic Pashtuns. But as

Creation of virtual patients for midwifery education.

PubMed

Urbanová, Eva; Bašková, Martina; Maskálová, Erika; Kvaltínyová, Eva

2018-07-01

The objective of the study was to create several new, original virtual patients (VPs) in the Slovak language, especially for educational purposes in midwifery. Virtual patients have been created for the needs of university midwifery education in Slovakia. The creation of the six virtual patients basically consisted of three fixed stages: preparation, design and development, implementation into the virtual environment. We used the Open Labyrinth (OL) virtual environment, an open-source system for creating VPs. The VPs include six various scenarios of the most common problems seen in midwifery practice: preterm birth, perinatal loss, gestational diabetes, ineffective breastfeeding, postpartum bleeding and sudden home birth. Currently, six original virtual patients are used in university midwifery education in Slovakia. We use them for contact teaching as well as self-study of students. They present the first VPs in Slovakia and the Czech Republic created in academic settings in these countries. The future perspective of a virtual patient as an interactive process between the student and the medium is that it can deepen and improve learning outcomes, solve specific midwifery issues, and reduce mistakes in the clinical environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PREFACE 11th Europhysical Conference on Defects in Insulating Materials (EURODIM 2010)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovács, László; Corradi, Gábor

2010-11-01

The Europhysical Conference on Defects in Insulating Materials, organized in the period 12-16 July 2010 in Pécs, Hungary by the Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Budapest and the Institute of Physics of the University of Pécs, was the 11th European conference in the alternate series of EURODIM and ICDIM. The first meeting in Argonne, USA in 1956 was dedicated to the field of color centers in alkali halide crystals. Since then the topic has been gradually extended to the real structure of oxides, halides, nitrides and other more complex insulators, and also to less ordered materials like glasses, ceramics and low-dimensional systems, as well as applications e.g. in radiology, non-linear optics, photonics and electronics. Recently the field covered includes the research and technology of defect-related phenomena in crystalline and amorphous wide band-gap bulk, layered and nano-materials. More than 200 colleagues from 31 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas have participated in the conference. The program contained in addition to seven invited and three keynote talks 67 further oral presentations as well as some 200 poster contributions. The city of Pécs, a pearl of the Southern Danubia region, was proud of hosting the conference as one of the 2010 European Capitals of Culture, this status crowning a long urban history dating back to paleochristian times in the Roman province Pannonia. On behalf of the Organizing Committee signature László Kovács Conference Chair Conference Chair László Kovács Crystal Physics Department Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics Budapest, Hungary e-mail: eurodim2010@optics.szfki.kfki.hu Program Committee Gábor Corradi (Hungary) István Földvári (Hungary) Rob A. Jackson (UK) László Kovács (Hungary) Martin Nikl (Czech Republic) Anna Vedda (Italy) Andrea Watterich (Hungary) International Advisory Committee M.G. Blanchin (France)A. Lushchik (Estonia) F. Bridges (USA)R.M. Montereali (Italy) F. Callens (Belgium)M. Moreno (Spain) R. Capelletti (Italy)P.E. Ngoepe (South Africa) A.V. Chadwick (UK)M. Nikl (Czech Republic) J.D. Comins (South Africa)S.V. Nistor (Romania) J. Corish (Ireland)C. Pedrini (France) H.W. den Hartog (Netherlands) A.M. Stoneham (UK) V. Dierolf (USA)M. Suszynska (Poland) S. Feofilov (Russia)I. Tale (Latvia) K. Funke (Germany)M.E.G. Valerio (Brazil) S. Greulich-Weber (Germany)A. Vedda (Italy) R.A. Jackson (UK)R.T. Williams (USA) L. Kovács (Hungary)A. Yoshikawa (Japan) sponsor logo sponsor logo sponsor logo

Price comparison of high-cost originator medicines in European countries.

PubMed

Vogler, Sabine; Zimmermann, Nina; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din

2017-04-01

In recent years, high-cost medicines have increasingly been challenging the public health budget in all countries including high-income economies. In this context, this study aims to survey, analyze and compare prices of medicines that likely contribute to high expenditure for the public payers in high-income countries. We chose the following 16 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Slovakia, Spain and United Kingdom. The ex-factory price data of 30 medicines in these countries were collected in national databases accessible through the Pharmaceutical Price Information (PPI) service of Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (Austrian Public Health Institute). The ex-factory prices (median) per unit (e.g. per tablet, vial) ranged from 10.67 cent (levodopa + decarboxylase inhibitor) to 17,000 euro (ipilimumab). A total of 53% of the medicines surveyed had a unit ex-factory price (median) above 200 Euro. For two thirds of the medicines, price differences between the highest-priced country and lowest-priced country ranged between 25 and 100%; the remaining medicines, mainly low-priced medicines, had higher price differential, up to 251%. Medicines with unit prices of a few euros or less were medicines for the treatment of diseases in the nervous system (anti-depressants, medicines to treat Parkinson and for the management of neuropathic pain), of obstructive airway diseases and cardio-vascular medicines (lipid modifying agents). High-priced medicines were particularly cancer medicines. Medicine prices of Greece, Hungary, Slovakia and UK were frequently at the lower end, German and Swedish, as well as Danish and Irish prices at the upper end. For high-priced medicines, actual paid prices are likely to be lower due to confidential discounts and similar funding arrangements between industry and public payers. Pricing authorities refer to the higher undiscounted prices when they use price data from other countries for their pricing decisions.

Planning, Preparation, and Transport of the High-Enriched Uranium Spent Nuclear Fuel from the Czech Republic to the Russian Federation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. J. Tyacke; I. Bolshinsky; Frantisek Svitak

The United States, Russian Federation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency have been working together on a program called the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) Program, which is part of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative. The purpose of this program is to return Soviet or Russian-supplied high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel, currently stored at Russian-designed research reactors throughout the world, to Russia. In February 2003, the RRRFR Program began discussions with the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) in Rež, Czech Republic, about returning their HEU spent nuclear fuel to the Russian Federation for reprocessing. In March 2005, the U.S. Department ofmore » Energy signed a contract with NRI to perform all activities needed for transporting their HEU spent nuclear fuel to Russia. After 2 years of intense planning, preparations, and coordination at NRI and with three other countries, numerous organizations and agencies, and a Russian facility, this shipment is scheduled for completion before the end of 2007. This paper will provide a summary of activities completed for making this international shipment. This paper contains an introduction and background of the RRRFR Program and the NRI shipment project. It summarizes activities completed in preparation for the shipment, including facility preparations at NRI in Rež and FSUE “Mayak” in Ozyorsk, Russia; a new transportation cask system; regulatory approvals; transportation planning and preparation in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation though completion of the Unified Project and Special Ecological Programs. The paper also describes fuel loading and cask preparations at NRI and final preparations/approvals for transporting the shipment across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation to FSUE Mayak where the HEU spent nuclear fuel will be processed, the uranium will be downblended and made into low-enriched uranium fuel for commercial reactor use, and the high-level waste from the processing will be stabilized and stored for less than 20 years before being sent back to the Czech Republic for final disposition. Finally, the paper contains a section for the summary and conclusions.« less

Pre-Interaction Management in Multinational Companies in Central Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nekvapil, Jiri; Sherman, Tamah

2009-01-01

This article is devoted to the linguistic, communicative and sociocultural situation in branches of multinational companies located in the Czech Republic and Hungary. There are typically several languages used in these branches. In addition to the local languages, there are the languages of the parent companies--most commonly English or German,…

Citizenship Norms in Eastern Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffe, Hilde; van der Lippe, Tanja

2010-01-01

Research on Eastern Europe stresses the weakness of its civil society and the lack of political and social involvement, neglecting the question: What do people themselves think it means to be a good citizen? This study looks at citizens' definitions of good citizenship in Poland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, using 2002 European Social…

Immunogenicity and safety of a booster dose of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in children primed with the 10-valent or 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

PubMed

Urbancikova, Ingrid; Prymula, Roman; Goldblatt, David; Roalfe, Lucy; Prymulova, Karolina; Kosina, Pavel

2017-09-12

Although both the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and the 10-valent pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D-conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) are widely used, it is unclear how interchangeable they are in terms of immunogenicity. Two phase 3, open-label, multicenter studies were conducted to assess the immunogenicity and safety of a booster dose of PCV13 in children primed with PHiD-CV or PCV13. In the Czech Republic, 12-15-month-old children received a PCV13 booster after 3-dose priming with either PHiD-CV or PCV13. In Slovakia, 11-12-month-old children received PCV13 following 2-dose priming with either PHiD-CV or PCV13. Serum IgG concentrations were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and functional antibodies were assessed by opsonophagocytic assay (OPA) before the booster and at 1 and 12months afterward. The primary objective of these studies was to assess non-inferiority of OPA titers for serotype 19A in PHiD-CV-primed subjects compared to those in PCV13-primed children 1month post-booster. A total of 98 subjects in the Czech Republic and 89 subjects in Slovakia were included. One month after the PCV13 booster dose, the IgG and OPA immune responses to serotype 19A in subjects primed with 2 or 3 doses of PHiD-CV were non-inferior to those in subjects primed with PCV13. Non-inferior and persistent immune responses to most other vaccine serotypes were also observed after the PCV13 booster in PHiD-CV-primed subjects. No safety issues were raised in either study. Overall, robust IgG and OPA immunological responses were observed after booster vaccination with PCV13 in children primed with 2 or 3 doses of PHiD-CV or PCV13, including for serotypes not included in PHiD-CV. These results suggest that these vaccines are interchangeable in terms of safety and immunogenicity and that PCV13 can be used as a booster in the context of mixed schedules. (EudraCT numbers: 2012-005366-35 and 2012-005367-27). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CEMeNt in the first half of 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koukal, Jakub

2018-01-01

The Central European Meteor Network (CEMeNt), is a platform for cross-border cooperation in the field of video meteor observations between the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The CEMeNt network activity in the first half of 2017 is the subject of the article. A total of 13890 meteors and 36 spectra were recorded on the CEMeNt network stations. The summary contains data taken by wide field systems (WF), spectrographs (SP) and narrow field systems (NFC).

Teachers' Perception of School Violence in a Sample from Three European Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linares, Jose Jesus Gazquez; Diaz, Adolfo Javier Cangas; Fuentes, Maria del Carmen Perez; Acien, Francisca Lucas

2009-01-01

The objective of the present study was to explore, in three European countries (Spain, Hungary and the Czech Republic), teachers' perception of the prevalence of different problematic aspects related to coexistence in schools, and of how they are personally affected by these aspects. The results reveal a high prevalence of fights, insults and…

Agricultural Adjustment and the Diversification of Farm Households and Corporate Farms in Central Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaplin, Hannah; Davidova, Sophia; Gorton, Matthew

2004-01-01

Survey evidence from three Central European Countries (Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) is analysed to identify the degree of non-agricultural farm diversification and the factors facilitating or impeding it in individual and corporate farms. The effect of diversification on rural job creation and household incomes is investigated. The results…

Carrying out a Language Policy Change: Advocacy Coalitions and the Management of Linguistic Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloboda, Marian; Szabo-Gilinger, Eszter; Vigers, Dick; Simicic, Lucija

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on agency in language policy change. The object of the analysis is the processes of bilingualization of signage in three European towns. Located in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Wales, the towns differ in various respects, including the extent to which signage language policies have faced opposition and threatened social…

[Tobacco smoking prevalence among students from Euro region Eastern Carpathians].

PubMed

Zadarko, Emilian; Penar-Zadarko, Beata; Barabasz, Zbigniew

2010-01-01

Publisher in February 2008 WHO M-POWER report indicates that every year on the world tobacco epidemics kills 5.4 million of people and the analysis of tobacco smoking prevalence change shows great differences between European countries. It is estimated that in Poland 29% of adult people smokes, and 24% in Slovakia. However tobacco smoking among academic youth is still a big problem. The aim of the study was an attempt to estimate tobacco smoking prevalence among students from Poland and Slovakia. The study was conducted with the framework of science project: "Physical activity for the whole life". The aim of the project are multidirectional activities addressed to Polish-Slovakian students to create a system of taking care about health based on health education among students, selected modifying cardiovascular risk factors monitoring, as well as creating Internet portal to serve those goals. Project was co-fund by European Union from European Regional Development Fund - ERDF, as well as from the government budget by Euro Region Carpathians with the framework of Cross-border Co-operation Programme Republic of Poland - Slovakia Republic 2007-2013. Analysis considered 4584 group of students from University of Rzeszow and University of Presov, Technical University in Rzeszow and State Higher Vocational School in Krosno. The study was conducted from November 2009 to June 2010. The participation in the study was voluntary. The study was conducted using a diagnostics survey method with questionnaire. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Based on results it was claimed that the majority of the studied group of students have never smoked and do not smoke cigarettes. Place of residence was a factor influencing the fact of tobacco smoking. Slovakian students were characterized by more frequent tobacco smoking. Far more often smoke man, both in Polish and Slovakian group. Among Polish students there was a relation between subjective health state assessment and tobacco smoking. The higher self-evaluation, the smaller tobacco smoking prevalence.

[Occupational tuberculosis in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic].

PubMed

Buchancová, J; Svihrová, V; Legáth, L; Bátora, I; Záborský, T; Rozborilová, E; Fenclová, Z; Urban, P; Zibolenová, J; Osina, O; Janoušek, M; Hudečková, H

2014-09-01

To conduct a retrospective 15-year study to monitor trends in the number of employees at risk for occupational tuberculosis (TB) (levels III and IV) in the Slovak Republic, and in particular in the sector of economic activities Q (health care and social assistance). Furthermore, to analyze reported cases of occupational TB and to compare the incidence and sex-specific and age-specific prevalence with the data reported in the Czech Republic. Data on the number of employees at risk of exposure to occupational TB were derived from the Automated Risk Classification System of the Slovak Republic. Data on cases of occupational TB were taken from health statistics (Institute of Health Information and Statistics/National Health Information Center in the Slovak Republic and the National Institute of Public Health in the Czech Republic). A retrospective analysis was conducted (for 1998-2012) of reported cases of occupational TB, selected from Article 24 of the List of occupational diseases (infectious and parasitic diseases except tropical infectious and parasitic diseases and diseases transmissible from animals to humans). The selection criterion was a TB diagnosis according to ICD-10. In the Czech Republic, the data were derived from Article 5.1.02 (tuberculosis), Chapter V. of the List of Occupational Diseases. The data obtained were analyzed by methods of descriptive statistics. The numbers of employees with a level III risk of exposure to occupational TB in the Slovak Republic declined by 30% over the 15 years of study and by 40% in category Q. In 2012, 2027 employees were classified in category III and 1442 of them belonged to group Q. Females accounted for 81-84% of employees at risk of exposure to occupational TB. Eighty-six and 181 cases of occupational TB were reported in the Slovak Republic and in the Czech Republic, respectively, in 1998-2012, with the incidence showing a downward trend in both countries. TB of the respiratory tract was reported most often (83.7% of the total of reported cases of occupational TB). As expected, more cases occurred in females than in males (1.9 times as many cases in females as in males in the Slovak Republic and three times as many cases in females as in males in the Czech Republic). The incidence of occupational TB was the highest in sector Q, with the highest absolute numbers reported in nurses. In 2012, the incidence rates of occupational TB were 0.22 cases per 100,000 sick benefit policy holders in the Slovak Republic and 0.13 cases per 100,000 sick benefit policy holders in the Czech Republic. The incidence of occupational TB has a downward trend in both countries, similarly to TB incidence in the general population. A negative aspect in both countries is the incidence of occupational TB at the middle productive age, in contrast to the population occupationally non-exposed to TB. Slovakia is surrounded by higher prevalence countries, with the exception of the Czech Republic. It cannot be ruled out that, in addition to the known factors influencing the prevalence of TB, including occupational TB, migration from eastern countries, including job search migration, can also play a role in increase in TB cases. It is vital to continue epidemiological surveillance and to reduce the risk of TB as much as possible also in healthcare settings by adhering to barrier nursing practices. Cases of active TB need early and adequately long, controlled treatment in order to reduce, among others, the incidence of multi-drug resistant TB.

Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) conference and the Warsaw Declaration - a comprehensive meeting report.

PubMed

Kowalska, J D; Oprea, C; de Witt, S; Pozniak, A; Gökengin, D; Youle, M; Lundgren, J D; Horban, A

2017-05-01

The objective of this paper is to summarize the outcomes of the Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) conference held in Warsaw in February 2016. The main aim of this conference was to facilitate a discussion on European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines implementation across the region and neighbouring countries and to present the current obstacles in benchmarking HIV care in Europe. During a 2-day meeting, there were country-based presentations using a predefined template so as to make the data comparable and focus the discussion. Areas covered were country epidemiology, surveillance, national strategy for treatment and prevention, standards of care, access to care and treatment availability. Each participant filled in a questionnaire investigating HIV guidelines usage per country. In total, 16 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and neighbouring countries were represented at the conference: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Turkey. EACS guidelines version 7.1 were used in 14 (87%) countries. In 11 (69%) countries, national guidelines were available, of which eight had been recently updated. Half of the countries declared that they use World Health Organization (WHO) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, over one-third the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) HIV testing guidelines and one in five the International Antiviral Society-USA (IAS-USA) Panel guidelines from 2012. Participants declared their will to promote the widespread use of EACS guidelines for HIV infection in the CEE region and neighbouring countries by signing the Warsaw Declaration. They also emphasized the need to increase publishing of data from national cohorts in that region. © 2016 British HIV Association.

Forecasting challenges during the severe weather outbreak in Central Europe on 25 June 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Púčik, Tomáš; Francová, Martina; Rýva, David; Kolář, Miroslav; Ronge, Lukáš

2011-06-01

On 25 June 2008, severe thunderstorms caused widespread damage and two fatalities in the Czech Republic. Significant features of the storms included numerous downbursts on a squall line that exhibited a bow echo reflectivity pattern, with sustained wind gusts over 32 m/s at several reporting stations. Moreover, a tornado and several downbursts of F2 intensity occurred within the convective system, collocated with the development of mesovortices within the larger scale bow echo. The extent of the event was sufficient to call it a derecho, as the windstorm had affected Eastern Germany, Southern Poland, Slovakia, Austria and Northern Hungary as well. Ahead of the squall line, several well-organized isolated cells occurred, exhibiting supercellular characteristics, both from a radar and visual perspective. These storms produced large hail and also isolated severe wind gusts. This paper deals mostly with the forecasting challenges that were experienced by the meteorologist on duty during the evolution of this convective scenario. The main challenge of the day was to identify the region that would be most affected by severe convection, especially as the numerical weather prediction failed to anticipate the extent and the progress of the derecho-producing mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Convective storms developed in an environment conducive to severe thunderstorms, with strong wind shear confined mostly to the lower half of the troposphere. These developments also were strongly influenced by mesoscale factors, especially a mesolow centered over Austria and its trough stretching to Eastern Bohemia. The paper demonstrates how careful mesoscale analysis could prove useful in dealing with such convective situations. Remote-sensing methods are also shown to be useful in such situations, especially when they can offer sufficient lead time to issue a warning, which is not always the case.

Health Care Provision for People with Diabetes and Postgraduate Training of Diabetes Specialists in Eastern European Countries

PubMed Central

Doničová, Viera; Brož, Jan; Sorin, Iocara

2011-01-01

Background In many eastern European countries, information is limited regarding (1) prevalence of diabetes and its complications, (2) health care provisions for diabetes, (3) diabetes management, and (4) the structure of postgraduate training in diabetes for doctors and nurses. These have been reviewed here. Methods Source material was derived from publications and through personal communication with diabetes specialists in leading clinical centers in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Results In many countries, information about diabetes prevalence is incomplete or inaccurate with many undiagnosed cases but varies from 7.7–9.6%. Diabetic complications and adverse outcomes (blindness, amputation, and chronic renal failure) are common, with a high mortality resulting from cardiovascular disease. State-funded and private systems often exist side by side. Diabetes care is provided by diabetologists, endocrinologists, internal medicine physicians, and general practitioners, but their involvement varies considerably between countries and some have too few specialists who are located only in large centers. Specialized dietetics and foot care services are, in general, poorly developed. Insulin is freely available although analogs may incur a cost to the patient, while newer drugs (glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors) are either expensive or unavailable. Glucose monitoring is often rationed. Postgraduate training in diabetes is now well established in most countries and specialist training for nurses is being developed. Conclusions Continuing disparities with western European countries are related mainly to deficient economic resources and inadequate financial investment. Some countries have introduced national programs to improve diabetes care with better clinical outcomes being obtained following treatment initiatives. PMID:22027305

Transferability of results of cost utility analyses for biologicals in inflammatory conditions for Central and Eastern European countries.

PubMed

Gulácsi, László; Rencz, Fanni; Péntek, Márta; Brodszky, Valentin; Lopert, Ruth; Hevér, Noémi V; Baji, Petra

2014-05-01

Several Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries require cost-utility analyses (CUAs) to support reimbursement formulary listing. However, CUAs informed by local evidence are often unavailable, and the cost-effectiveness of the several currently reimbursed biologicals is unclear. To estimate the cost-effectiveness as multiples of per capita GDP/quality adjusted life years (QALY) of four biologicals (infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, golimumab) currently reimbursed in six CEE countries in six inflammatory rheumatoid and bowel disease conditions. Systematic literature review of published cost-utility analyses in the selected conditions, using the United Kingdom (UK) as reference country and with study selection criteria set to optimize the transfer of results to the CEEs. Prices in each CEE country were pro-rated against UK prices using purchasing power parity (PPP)-adjusted per capita GDP, and local GDP per capita/QALY ratios estimated. Central and Eastern European countries list prices were 144-333% higher than pro rata prices. Out of 85 CUAs identified by previous systematic literature reviews, 15 were selected as a convenience sample for estimating the cost-effectiveness of biologicals in the CEE countries in terms of per capita GDP/QALY. Per capita GDP/QALY values varied from 0.42 to 6.4 across countries and conditions (Bulgaria: 0.97-6.38; Czech Republic: 0.42-2.76; Hungary: 0.54-3.54; Poland: 0.59-3.90; Romania: 0.77-5.07; Slovakia: 0.55-3.61). While results must be interpreted with caution, calculating pro rata (cost-effective) prices and per capita GDP/QALY ratios based on CUAs can aid reimbursement decision-making in the absence of analyses using local data.

Comparative analysis of specialization in palliative medicine processes within the World Health Organization European region.

PubMed

Centeno, Carlos; Bolognesi, Deborah; Biasco, Guido

2015-05-01

Palliative medicine (PM), still in the development phase, is a new, growing specialty aimed at caring for both oncology and non-oncology patients. There is still confusion about the training offered in the various European PM certification programs. To provide a detailed, comparative update and analysis of the PM certification process in Europe, including the different training approaches and their main features. Experts from each country completed an online survey addressing historical background, program name, training requirements, length of time in training, characteristic and content, official certifying institution, effectiveness of accreditation, and 2013 workforce capacity. We prepared a comparative analysis of the data provided. In 2014, 18 of 53 European countries had official programs on specialization in PM (POSPM): Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and the U.K. Ten of these programs were begun in the last five years. The PM is recognized as a "specialty," "subspecialty," or "special area of competence," with no substantial differences between the last two designations. The certification contains the term "palliative medicine" in most countries. Clinical training varies, with one to two years being the most frequent duration. There is a clear trend toward establishing the POSPM as a mandatory condition for obtaining a clinical PM position in countries' respective health systems. PM is growing as a specialization field in Europe. Processes leading to certification are generally long and require substantial clinical training. The POSPM education plans are heterogeneous. The European Association for Palliative Care should commit to establishing common learning standards, leading to additional European-based recognition of expertise in PM. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family history and lung cancer risk: international multicentre case-control study in Eastern and Central Europe and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Lissowska, Jolanta; Foretova, Lenka; Dabek, Joanna; Zaridze, David; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Neonila; Rudnai, Peter; Fabianova, Eleonora; Cassidy, Adrian; Mates, Dana; Bencko, Vladimir; Janout, Vladimir; Hung, Rayjean J; Brennan, Paul; Boffetta, Paolo

2010-07-01

Lung cancer is the most common neoplastic disease in Eastern and Central Europe. The role of hereditary factors in lung carcinogenesis is not fully understood. Family history (FH) of lung cancer and other tobacco-related cancers might be a strong predictor of the lung cancer risk. We investigated family history of cancer among first-degree relatives of 2,861 patients with lung cancer and 3,118 controls from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, and United Kingdom within the IARC Multicenter Case-Control Study. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CI were calculated using logistic regression, adjusting for age, gender, study center, education, tobacco smoking, and number of first-degree relatives. In addition, we conducted a meta-analysis of 41 studies on FH of cancer and lung cancer risk. Positive FH of lung cancer increased risk of lung cancer with OR of 1.63 (95%CI: 1.31-2.01), and having two or more affected relatives with lung cancer further increased the risk of lung cancer with OR 3.60 (95%CI: 1.56-8.31). Among subjects aged less than 50, the OR for FH of lung cancer was 2.08 (95%CI: 1.18-3.63). The associations were generally stronger for squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma subtypes. Heterogeneity in results was not found with respect to smoking status and gender. A significant association was not observed for FH of other smoking-related tumors. The results of meta-analysis were consistent with that of our study with regard to young onset, non-smokers and histology. FH of lung cancer is a predictor of an increased risk of lung cancer, especially in subjects aged less than 50.

PREFACE Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanyi, Amalia; Iványi, Péter; Rachinskii, Dmitrii; Sobolev, Vladimir A.

2011-02-01

The International Workshop on Multi-Rate Processes and Hysteresis conference series focuses on singular perturbation problems and hysteresis as common strongly nonlinear phenomena occurring in mathematical, physical, economical, engineering and information systems. The term 'strongly nonlinear' means, in particular, that linearization will not encapsulate the observed phenomena. Singular perturbation problems and hysteresis can be manifested at different stages of the same or similar processes. Furthermore, a number of fundamental hysteresis models can be considered as a limit of time relaxation processes, or admit an approximation by a differential equation, which is singular with respect to a particular parameter. However, interaction between researchers in the areas of systems with time relaxation and systems with hysteresis (and between the 'multi-rate' and 'hysteresis' research communities) has so far been limited, and there is little cross-fertilization of ideas. It is the aim of the conference series to fill this gap. The 5th International Workshop on Multi-Rate Processes and Hysteresis (MURPHYS 2010) was hosted by the Pollack Mihály Faculty of Engineering, University of Pécs, Hungary, from 31 May to 3 June 2010, on the occasion of Pécs being the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010. The workshop was organized in cooperation with University College Cork, Ireland, which hosted all of the previous Workshops: International Workshop on Multi-rate Processes and Hysteresis (University College, Cork, Ireland, 31 March-5 April 2008). Proceedings are published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series volume 138. See http://euclid.ucc.ie/appliedmath/murphys2008/murphys2008.htm; International Workshop on Multi-rate Processes and Hysteresis (University College, Cork, Ireland, 3-8 April 2006). Proceedings are published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series volume 55. Further information is available at http://Euclid.ucc.ie/murphys2006.htm; International Workshop on Hysteresis and Multi-scale Asymptotic (University College, Cork, Ireland, 17-21 March 2004). Proceedings are published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series volume 22. Further details are available at http://Euclid.ucc.ie/hamsa2004.htm; International Workshop on Relaxation Oscillations and Hysteresis (University College, Cork, Ireland, 1-6 April 2002). The related collection of invited lectures was published as a volume Singular Perturbations and Hysteresis, SIAM, Philadelphia, 2005. International Workshop on Geometrical Methods of Nonlinear Analysis and Semiconductor Laser Dynamics (University College Cork, Ireland, 5-6 April 2001). A collection of invited papers has been published as a special issue of Proceedings of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences: Nonlinear dynamics of laser and reacting system, available at http://euclid.ucc.ie/appliedmath/gmna2001/ProcGMNA2001p1.pdf. Among the aims of this and previous workshops were: to bring together the leading experts in singular perturbation and hysteresis phenomena in applied problems; to discuss important problems in the areas of reacting systems, semiconductor lasers, shock phenomena, economic modelling, fluid mechanics, electrical engineering and modelling biological systems with emphasises on hysteresis and singular perturbations; to learn and share modern techniques in areas of common interest. The International Workshop on Multi-rate Processes and Hysteresis (Pollack Mihály Faculty of Engineering, University of Pécs, Hungary, 31 May-3 June 2010) brought together about 50 scientists who are actively researching the areas of dynamical systems with hysteresis and singular perturbations with applications to physical, engineering and economic systems. The countries represented at the Workshop included the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, the United Kingdom and USA. Workshop photo Workshop photo 31 May 2010 Sponsorship of the Workshop by the Pollack Mihály Faculty of Engineering, University of Pécs (Hungary), University College Cork (Ireland), University of Pécs (Hungary), The University of Texas at Dallas (USA), and the Cultural Capital of Europe 2010, Pécs (Hungary), is gratefully acknowledged. The Editors and Organizers of the Workshop are sincerely grateful to Dr Géza Várady, Ms Andrea Zseni and Mr Ádám Schiffer of the Pollack Mihály Faculty of Engineering, University of Pécs, and Dr Alexander Pimenov of University College Cork for managing the organization of the conference and for the assistance in formatting of all the manuscripts. More information about the workshop can be found at http://murphys5.pmmk.pte.hu/ Amalia Ivanyi, Péter Iványi, Dmitrii Rachinskii and Vladimir A SobolevEditors MURPHYS 2010, PMMK PTE, 31 May - 3 June 2010 Sponsored by Pollack Mihály logo POLLACK MIHÁLY FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF PÉCS UCC logo PÉCSI TUDOMÁNYEGYETEM logo PÉCSI TUDOMÁNYEGYETEM UNIVERSITY OF PÉCS UTD logo Cultural capital logo Cultural Capital of Europe 2010, Pécs, Hungary International Steering Committee Z I BalanovIsrael M BrokateGermany R CrossUK K DahmenUSA M DimianRomania G FriedmanUSA A Ivanyi (Co-Chairman)Hungary P Iványi (Co-Chairman)Hungary L KalachevUSA P KrejčíCzech Republic R O'Malley (Co-Chairman)USA A Pokrovskii (Co-Chairman)Ireland N PopovicUK D Rachinskii (Co-Chairman)Ireland S S SazhinUK V Sobolev (Co-Chairman)Russia S SzabóHungary C VisoneItaly International Program Committee G AlmásiHungary Z BalanovIsrael M BrokateGermany R CrossUK K DahmenUSA M DimianRomania G FriedmanUSA A Ivanyi (Co-Chairman)Hungary P Iványi (Co-Chairman)Hungary S JeneiHungary G KádárHungary L KalachevUSA R KersnerHungary G KovácsHungary P KrejčíCzech Republic P M KuczmannHungary P P O'KaneIreland R O'Malley (Co-Chairman)USA A Pokrovskii (Co-Chairman)Ireland N PopovicUK D Rachinskii (Co-Chairman)Ireland B V H ToppingUK V C VisoneItaly

Selected aspects of modelling monetary transmission mechanism by BVAR model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaněk, Tomáš; Dobešová, Anna; Hampel, David

2013-10-01

In this paper we use the BVAR model with the specifically defined prior to evaluate data including high-lag dependencies. The results are compared to both restricted and common VAR model. The data depicts the monetary transmission mechanism in the Czech Republic and Slovakia from January 2002 to February 2013. The results point to the inadequacy of the common VAR model. The restricted VAR model and the BVAR model appear to be similar in the sense of impulse responses.

Modelling of volatility in monetary transmission mechanism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dobešová, Anna; Klepáč, Václav; Kolman, Pavel

2015-03-10

The aim of this paper is to compare different approaches to modeling of volatility in monetary transmission mechanism. For this purpose we built time-varying parameter VAR (TVP-VAR) model with stochastic volatility and VAR-DCC-GARCH model with conditional variance. The data from three European countries are included in the analysis: the Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia. Results show that VAR-DCC-GARCH system captures higher volatility of observed variables but main trends and detected breaks are generally identical in both approaches.

The Turco-Russian Energy Relationship: Russian Energy Dominance and Its Ability to Influence Turkey

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

an important player in the region. Turkey, by virtue of its location, “the crossroads of empires, religions , trade routes and modern day conflict...government (secularized republic), and religion (95 % Muslim) established itself as a key ally to the United States and NATO in times of conflict. 6...Slovakia, Romania , France, Poland and Italy were reduced by between 14 and 40 percent.” 7 Gazprom, Russia’s natural gas/energy monopoly, is being used as

EWork in Europe: The EMERGENCE 18-Country Employer Survey. IES Report 380.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huws, U.; O'Regan, S.

The EMERGENCE project was conducted to map and measure eWork (the processing of information and transmission of it by means of telecommunications located anywhere in the world) in 18 European countries (15 European Union states plus Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic). Data for the project were gathered through a survey of 7,268 employers of…

Understanding Teachers' Pedagogical Knowledge: Report on an International Pilot Study. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 159

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonmark, Kristina; Révai, Nóra; Gottschalk, Francesca; Deligiannidi, Karolina; Burns, Tracey

2017-01-01

What is the nature of teachers' pedagogical knowledge? The Innovative Teaching for Effective Learning Teacher Knowledge Survey (ITEL TKS) set out to answer this question in a pilot study that ran in five countries: Estonia, Greece, Hungary Israel, and the Slovak Republic. Using convenience samples, the pilot assessed the pedagogical knowledge base…

Is It Reasonable to Speak of a Crisis of the Family?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pakhomova, E. I.

2007-01-01

The early 1990s were marked by the onset of a period of lengthy depopulation in Russia. A number of countries confronted a natural decline in population in the 20th century, in particular Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Sweden. What is specific to Russia, however, is that the depopulation relates to both components of…

[Cross-border healthcare in European Union and Czech Republic].

PubMed

Barták, Miroslav; Rogalewicz, Vladimír; Jílková, Jiřina; Jeřábková, Silvie

Currently, the cross-border healthcare still represents a marginal part of the Czech healthcare system's performance, though. Compared to the total healthcare expenditures in the Czech Republic that accounted for CZK 299.9 billion in 2014, the costs of the treatment provided to Czech patients abroad constitute mere 0.27%, and the (subsequently refunded) costs of the treatment provided to foreign patients in the Czech Republic 0.24%.Although data on changes in the volume and reimbursements of healthcare due to the Directive 2011/24/EU have not been published yet, we can expect rather evolutionary than revolutionary development of cross-border healthcare volumes. Taking into account all available data, we can conclude that the cross-border healthcare, as specified by the directive currently in force, is important in our conditions above all in relation to our neighbours, i. e. Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland.Key words: cross-border healthcare, patient mobility, international reimbursements EU health policy, Directive 2011/24/EU.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: History, Perspectives, and Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-28

Germany , Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden...Iran. Firms providing, or insuring tankers carrying, refined product to Iran would also be included in the prohibition. The Drawdown Authorities The...taking place in the operation of oil markets after the experiences of the 1970s, and deregulation of oil price and supply. Sales of SPR oil authorized

East Europe Report: Economic and Industrial Affairs

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-04

Losses Due to Power Cuts (RUDE PRAVO, PRAVDA, 21 Feb 85) .............................. 43 GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Analysis of Factors Contributing to...PREGLED, 5 Mar 85) ................................ .110 Briefs Problems at Trepca 112 Fire in Urosevac Combine 112 Fire in Prizren Textile Plant 113...Possible Bankruptcies in Kosovo 113 Private Farm Planting 113 Trade With Iraq 113 Rail Agreement With Hungary, USSR 113 Kosovo Water System Delay 114 -b

Translations on Eastern Europe, Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs, No. 1566

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-07-20

Germany x Hungary x Poland x Romania Yugoslavia 17b. ldcntificr.s/Open-Ended Terms Propaganda Political Science Sociology Military...Energy Supply Problems (Slawomir Popowski; TRYBUNA LUDU, 29 Jun 78) 82 ROMANIA Manescu Addresses CEMA Session in Bucharest (Manea Manescu...the RCP Central Committee, the government of the Socialist Republic of Romania and to you personally, Comrade Manescu, for the warm reception

JPRS Report, Arms Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-06

Withdrawing From Hungary [A. Kaverznev; KOMSOMOLSKAY A PRAVDA 26 Apr] 30 WEST EUROPE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Complaints Heard on Soviet Maneuver...toward the Soviet Union. On the SNF issue, the Federal Germany , for its own national interests, opposes modernization of the NATO aging Lance...substantial reduction of the Warsaw Pact conventional forces. However, Federal Germany seems not to go along with such a vague approach and wants

The first feline and new canine cases of Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida: Thelaziidae) infection in Hungary.

PubMed

Farkas, Róbert; Takács, Nóra; Gyurkovszky, Mónika; Henszelmann, Noémi; Kisgergely, Judit; Balka, Gyula; Solymosi, Norbert; Vass, Andrea

2018-06-08

In Europe, the first Thelazia callipaeda infections were found in the eyes of some dogs in Italy three decades ago. Since that time, this vector-borne nematode species has been diagnosed in domestic and wild carnivores and humans in some western European countries. During the last few years, autochthonous thelaziosis of dogs, red foxes, cats and humans has also been reported from eastern Europe. The first cases of ocular infections caused by T. callipaeda have been described in dogs living in the eastern and southern part of Slovakia and Hungary. Whitish parasites found in the conjuctival sac and/or under the third eyelid of one or both eyes of animals were removed and morphologically identified according to species and sex. To confirm the morphological identification with molecular analysis a single step conventional PCR was carried out. A total of 116 adult worms (1-37 per dog, median: 7, IQR: 14.5 and 7 from a cat) were collected from the eyes of 11 animals. Nematodes were identified as T. callipaeda according to the morphological keys and molecular analysis. The sequences of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were identical to those representing T. callipaeda haplotype 1, previously reported in neighbouring and other European countries. Since the infected cat and dogs had never travelled abroad, all of the cases were autochthonous thelaziosis. The present study reports the first case of thelaziosis in a cat and new cases in 10 dogs found in the southern and northern region of Hungary, respectively. Further studies are needed to clarify whether wild carnivores (e.g. red foxes, golden jackals) may act as reservoirs of this eyeworm species in the country.

A tectonic model for the spatial occurrence of porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits - applications to Central Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drew, Lawrence J.

2006-01-01

A structural-tectonic model, which was developed to assess the occurrence of undiscovered porphyry copper deposits and associated polymetallic vein systems for the Matra Mountains, Hungary, has been expanded here and applied to other parts of central Europe. The model explains how granitoid stocks are emplaced and hydrothermal fluids flow within local strain features (duplexes) within strike-slip fault systems that develop in continental crust above subducting plates. Areas of extension that lack shear at the corners and along the edges of the fault duplexes are structural traps for the granitoid stocks associated with porphyry copper deposits. By contrast, polymetallic vein deposits are emplaced where shear and extension are prevalent in the interior of the duplexes. This model was applied to the Late Cretaceous-age porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits in the Banat-Timok-Srednogorie region of Romania-Serbia-Bulgaria and the middle Miocene-age deposits in Romania and Slovakia. In the first area, porphyry copper deposits are most commonly located at the corners, and occasionally along the edges, of strike-slip fault duplexes, and the few polymetallic vein deposits identified are located at interior sites of the duplexes. In the second area, the model accounts for the preferred sites of porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits in the Apuseni Mountains (Romania) and central Slovakian volcanic field (Slovakia).

Transcarpathia - Ukrainian border region at the edge of the EU. Internal and external representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, P.

2013-11-01

Starting from 1918, multiethnic Transcarpathia changed after centuries of being an integrated part of Hungary frequently its political affiliation and is since 2004 a Ukrainian border region to the European Union. Three of the four European Union neighbour countries belong since 21.12.2007 to the Schengen zone (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary), only the southern neighbour Romania is for the time being not yet a Schengen country. After a phase of relatively open borders and relatively intensive neighbourhood relations in the first transformation years, by the Schengen regime the situation for Transcarpathia changed again. The current situation, possibly still to be intensified by the Schengen entry of Romania, is likely to persist for some time. What does this mean for Transcarpathia as well as for the wider region in the northeast of the Pannonian basin? Which factors are determining the development in Transcarpathia? Which position maintains Transcarpathia within the Ukraine, how does it look at Kiev and how is it looked at by Kiev and the cis-Carpathian areas of the Ukraine? The paper deals under these aspects with economic development in Transcarpathia, the interest of foreign investors in the region, its role in the continental transportation network, the identity of the Slavonic population majority and regionalism, also with the position of the large Hungarian minority in the region and its relation to the motherland. The paper is based on a larger research project completed and published already in 2004 (Peter Jordan, Mladen Klemenčić: Transcarpathia - Bridgehead or Periphery?), but adopts also the results of a later diploma work of a student of the author (Berenike Ecker) as well as results of more recent research by the author himself. It is found that shaping by Hungarian history, borderland location and multiethnic structure can be defined as the essential components of Transcarpathian identity. Its economic potentials and perspectives rest mainly in richness in wood, its pleasant landscape and mineral waters, its location in the European traffic network, its border location and bridge function, the rich language skills of its population, the region's Central European character. By post-Communist industrialisation (wood processing, food industry, electrotechnical industry) and due to intense transborder relations of the Hungarian minority the region was able to make some progress during the transformation period, but could not yet escape its economically peripheric position. Major obstacles for a better development can be identified in an all but market-conform agriculture, in the Schengen regime cutting Transcarpathia off especially from Slovakia and Hungary as well as in Ukrainian regional governance structures enforcing centralist attitudes at the two levels of regional administration.

Ultraviolet B Irradiance and Incidence Rates of Bladder Cancer in 174 Countries

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

Hungary, Ireland, Iran, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Micronesia, Malaysia , Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Niger, Korea Democratic Republic...these are the best available data sources for the covariates. Further, this study could not account for differences in culture, behavior, and diet ...ness. Photochem Photobiol2005Jll(6):1287-90. Punnonen R, Gillespy M, Hahl M. Serum 25-0HD, vitamin A and vitamin E concentrations in healthy Finnish

Groundhog Day: Expectation Management by Examining Warfare in the Early Twentieth Century Balkans

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-15

Balkan Peninsula around the Former Republic of Yugoslavia and its neighboring nations. This excludes Romania 7 and southern Hungary, but movement...of modern-day Romania . With the expansion to include more of the Peninsula, however, things began to change. Missionaries from Constantinople had...inclusion of Orthodox Christianity. Second, obviously using the Byzantine Empire as the model, the sovereign was the originator of law. However, the powers

[Laboratory diagnosis of pandemic influenza at the Department of Medical Microbiology of the Regional Authority of Public Health based in Banská Bystrica in the season 2009-2010].

PubMed

Kissová, R; Mad'arová, L; Klement, C

2011-02-01

The Department of Medical Microbiology of the Regional Authority of Public Health (RAPH) in Banská Bystrica serves as a catchment laboratory of virology for the Central Slovakia Region, and in the influenza season 2009/10, it also served as such for the East Slovakia Region. Specimens (nasopharyngeal swabs and post-mortem specimens) from patients with suspected influenza were obtained from both sentinel and non-sentinel physicians. The specimens were analyzed by a rapid test, followed by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) for influenza A or B diagnosis. RT-PCR subtyping for pandemic influenza A/H1N1 was performed. From May 2009 to June 2010, 2497 specimens were analyzed for the presence of influenza A and B viruses and in particular for the presence of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus. As many as 537 of 589 influenza A-positive specimens, i.e. 21.5% of all specimens analyzed and 91.2% of influenza A-positive specimens, were subtyped as pandemic influenza A/H1N1. In the influenza season 2009/10, the new pandemic influenza A/H1N1 clearly predominated in Central and Eastern Slovakia. PCR tests have played a key role in diagnosing patients with suspected pandemic influenza in the laboratory participating in the surveillance of influenza and influenza-like illness in the Slovak Republic.

Southeast Asia Report. Peoples Republic of Kampuchea: Biographic Information on Officials

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-10

Jun 84). Chairman of Kompong Som Municipal People’s Revolutionary Committee; see KIM SANGKUM. Candidate in May 81 general elections. Secretary of...and Education Department Chief. Charge d’Affaires to Hanoi (Dec 85). 24 KHUON RAN KHVAN SAMNANG KIENG SAVUT KIM HAK ( KIM NET) KIM SAM-AN... KIM SANGKUM KIM SEAP KIM YIN KIT BUNNA, Ms KIT KIMHUON (KIT KROEUNVUTTHA) Ambassador to Hungary (Oct 80). Secretary of Phnom Penh Agriculture

The Diversification of Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations and its Effects on Spillover Violence in the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-14

would require the determination of “innocent.” This definition presumes that violence against illegal immigrants , often the victims of violence on...Canada, Chile , the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg...illegal immigrants being smuggled into the U.S., Mexican or U.S. citizens working with the cartels or their innocent family members, and those that

Business Development Corporation, Inc.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jasek, S.

1995-12-31

Business Development Corporation, Inc., is a company specializing in opportunity seeking and business development activities in the {open_quotes}new{close_quotes} post communist Central and Eastern Europe, with particular emphasis on the Republics of Poland and Slovakia. The company currently focuses its expertise on strategic investing and business development between Central Europe and the United States of America. In Poland and Slovakia, the company specializes in developing large scale energy and environmental {open_quotes}infrastructure{close_quotes} development projects on the federal, state, and local level. In addition, the company assists large state owned industries in the transformation and privatization process. Business Development Corporation has assisted andmore » continues to assist in projects of national importance. The staff of experts advise numerous large Polish and Slovak companies, most owned or in the process of privatization, on matters of restructuring, finance, capital structure, strategic parternships or investors, mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures with U.S. based firms. The company also assists and advises on a variety of environmental and energy matters in the public and private sector.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The International Mining Exhibition, held in conjunction with the 10th World Mining Congress held in Istanbul, September 15 to 22, 1979, attracted over 2235 mining people from 45 countries. The exhibition, the first ever major trade show in Istanbul, was held in the city's Exhibition Palace. A full range of coal and hard rock mining equipment and services from 14 countries was exhibited in the palace as well as in outside display areas. The total area occupied by exhibits was over 7000 square meters (3217) inside and 3850 outside). Altogether, 152 companies participated in the exhibition from Turkey, Sweden, Finland,more » the United Kingdom, the United States, the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and the German Democratic Republic.« less

Attitudes towards antimicrobial drugs among general population in Croatia, Fyrom, Greece, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia.

PubMed

Radosević, Nives; Vlahović-Palcevski, Vera; Benko, Ria; Peklar, Jure; Miskulin, Inka; Matuz, Maria; Papaioannidou, Paraskevi; Sabo, Ana; Palcevska-Koceska, Snezana

2009-08-01

A pilot study to assess patients' attitudes towards antimicrobials (ABs) in six European countries (Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Greece, Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia), as a step preceding educational intervention on the importance of patients' compliance with instructions on taking ABs and consequences of their inappropriate use. Patients' knowledge, emotions and behaviour regarding ABs were assessed using a structured questionnaire, constructed by a psychologist and intended for general population in six European countries. Questionnaires were filled out by individuals who visited pharmacies and general practitioners. A total of 838 questionnaires were filled in. Respondents from Slovenia showed the best knowledge about ABs, followed by Croatians. The highest willingness for self-medication reported respondents from FYROM. The most positive emotions about ABs were expressed by respondents in Greece and Hungary, and the most negative in Slovenia. All components of attitudes towards antibiotics were influenced by country and level of education. Behaviour regarding ABs complied with emotions and knowledge in all countries. The results of this study may lay a basis for conducting national public campaigns, as a step forward in education of patients on rational AB use. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

NATO Transformation and Operational Support in the Canadian Forces: Part 2: The Military and Institutional Dimensions

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

Dimensions David Rudd; DRDC CORA TR 2010-246; R & D pour la défense Canada – CORA; Novembre 2010. Contexte: La première décennie du XXIe siècle a...décennie. D’ici novembre 2010, lorsque les chefs d’État et de gouvernement se rassembleront à Lisbonne, il faudrait établir un consensus notamment...12 Jiri Kominek, “Czech Republic and Slovakia look to defence co-operation,” Jane’s Defence Weekly, 13 August 2010, http://www4.janes.com/subscribe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sklenka, L.; Rataj, J.; Frybort, J.

Research reactors play an important role in providing key personnel of nuclear power plants a hands-on experience from operation and experiments at nuclear facilities. Training of NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) staff is usually deeply theoretical with an extensive utilisation of simulators and computer visualisation. But a direct sensing of the reactor response to various actions can only improve the personnel awareness of important aspects of reactor operation. Training Reactor VR-1 and its utilization for training of NPP operators and other professionals from Czech Republic and Slovakia is described. Typical experimental exercises and good practices in organization of a training programmore » are demonstrated. (authors)« less

Verification of the radiometric map of the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Matolín, Milan

2017-01-01

The radiometric map of the Czech Republic is based on uniform regional airborne radiometric total count measurements (1957-1959) which covered 100% of the country. The airborne radiometric instrument was calibrated to a 226 Ra point source. The calibration facility for field gamma-ray spectrometers, established in the Czech Republic in 1975, significantly contributed to the subsequent radiometric data standardization. In the 1990's, the original analogue airborne radiometric data were digitized and using the method of back-calibration (IAEA, 2003) converted to dose rate. The map of terrestrial gamma radiation expressed in dose rate (nGy/h) was published on the scale 1:500,000 in 1995. Terrestrial radiation in the Czech Republic, formed by magmatic, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks of Proterozoic to Quaternary age, ranges mostly from 6 to 245 nGy/h, with a mean of 65.6 ± 19.0 nGy/h. The elevated terrestrial radiation in the Czech Republic, in comparison to the global dose rate average of 54 nGy/h, reflects an enhanced content of natural radioactive elements in the rocks. The 1995 published radiometric map of the Czech Republic was successively studied and verified by additional ground gamma-ray spectrometric measurements and by comparison to radiometric maps of Germany, Poland and Slovakia in border zones. A ground dose rate intercomparison measurement under participation of foreign and domestic professional institutions revealed mutual dose rate deviations about 20 nGy/h and more due to differing technical parameters of applied radiometric instruments. Studies and verification of the radiometric map of the Czech Republic illustrate the magnitude of current deviations in dose rate data. This gained experience can assist in harmonization of dose rate data on the European scale. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Democratic Peace Theory and Greek-Turkish Relations in the Context of the European Union

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

religion (the vast majority are Christian Orthodox ), the same national anthem, and even the same traditions. In addition, during the past Greek...Peace, 1918 –1988,” American Political Science Review 90, (1996): 512–33. 61 Maoz and Russett, “Normative and Structural Causes,” 636. 62 Chan, “In...states consisted of Cyprus, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia and the Czech Republic; while the second one included Romania , Bulgaria, Latvia

OBSERVATIONS ON DIAGNOSTIC ACTIVITIES AND PRACTICES IN TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARIES AND RADIATION PROTECTION (in Hungarian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hopf, K.

1961-09-01

A comparison of the number of registered tuberculous patients in the German Democratic Republic and Hungary showed that in 1956 Hungary recorded a rate of 1.33% patients with active tuberculosis, whereas Germany showed 1.22%. The difference in these percentages indicates that different standards were applied in classifying patients as inactive, chronic-active, or infectuous tuberculotics. This study showed that some patients were carried Mn the records as tuberculotics who have long been cured and should have been classified ss inactive. The practice of annual chest x-ray examination for the entire population for the purpose of detecting new cases of tuberculosis ismore » discussed (and accepted practice in the German Democratic Republic). The possible hazards to humans from such radiation exposure are considered. It is concluded that chest x rays carried out by properly trained personnel do not constitute and particular hazard to the patient provided proper screens are used and fluoroscopic exposure is not longer thand 30 sec. Testimony of expert roentgenologists is cited which maintains that the doses received in a series of routine chest x rays are no more than the average natural radiation dose received by and individual. This method, therefore, should not be discarded as an effective method for the detection of new, active cases of tuberculosis. (BBB)« less

Persistent Scatterer InSAR monitoring of Bratislava urban area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakon, Matus; Perissin, Daniele; Papco, Juraj; Lazecky, Milan

2014-05-01

The main purpose of this research is to monitor the ground stability of Bratislava urban area by application of the satellite radar interferometry. Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, is situated in its south-west on the borders with Austria and Hungary and only 62 kilometers from the border with Czech Republic. With an exclusive location and good infrastructure, the city attracts foreign investors and developers, what has resulted in unprecedented boom in construction in recent years. Another thing is that Danube River in the last five hundred years caused a hundred of devastating floods, so therefore flood occurs every five years, on average. From geological point of view, the Little Carpathians covers the main part of study area and are geologically and tectonically interesting. The current state of relief and spatial distribution of individual geological forms is the result of vertical geodynamic movements of tectonic blocks, e.g., subsiding parts of Vienna Basin and Danubian Basin or uplifting mountains. The Little Carpathians horst and the area of Vienna Basin contains a number of tectonic faults, where ground motions as a result of geodynamic processes are mostly expected. It is assumed that all the phenomena stated above has an impact on the spatial composition of the Earth's surface in Bratislava urban area. As nowadays surface of the Little Carpathians is heavily eroded and morphology smoothed, question of this impact cannot be answered only by interpreting geological tectonic maps. Furthermore, expected changes have never been revealed by any geodetic measurements which would offer advantages of satellite radar interferometry concerning temporal coverage, spatial resolution and accuracy. Thus the generation of ground deformation maps using satellite radar interferometry could gather valuable information. The work aims to perform a series of differential interferograms and PSInSAR (Persistent Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) technique, covering the target area with 57 Envisat ASAR images from Ascending Track No. 229 (32) and Descending Track No. 265 (25) captured between years 2002 and 2010. Processing involves Sarproz (Copyright (c) 2009 Daniele Perissin) a powerful software solution for obtaining differential interferograms and performing PSInSAR methodology. The area of interest to investigate the deformation phenomena is covering approximately 16 by 16 kilometers (256 sqkm). For evaluation of PSInSAR potential to detect and monitor ground displacements, PS derived time series of deformation signal were compared to the field GNSS data from three GNSS stations coded PIL1, BRAT and GKU4. By the detailed look on the deformation maps the investigated urban area of Bratislava is relatively stable with the deformation rates within the few (±5) millimeters. The comparison of PSInSAR derived time series with GNSS data indicates good correlation and confirms achievable precision and applicability of InSAR measurements for ground stability monitoring purposes. Data for this work were provided by European Space Agency within the Category-1 project ID 9981: "Detection of ground deformation using radar interferometry techniques". The authors are grateful to the Tatrabanka Foundation and The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic for the opportunity to work together. Data have been processed by the Sarproz (Copyright (c) 2009 Daniele Perissin) and visualised in Google Earth. This paper is also the result of the implementation of the project: the National Centre of Earth's Surface Deformation Diagnostic in the area of Slovakia, ITMS 26220220108 supported by the Research and Development Operational Programme funded by the ERDF and the grant No. 1/0642/13 of the Slovak Grant Agency VEGA.

Inequalities in medicine use in Central Eastern Europe: an empirical investigation of socioeconomic determinants in eight countries.

PubMed

Vogler, Sabine; Österle, August; Mayer, Susanne

2015-11-05

Equitable access to essential medicines is a major challenge for policy-makers world-wide, including Central and Eastern European countries. Member States of the European Union situated in Central and Eastern Europe have publicly funded pharmaceutical reimbursement systems that should promote accessibility and affordability of, at least essential medicines. However, there is no knowledge whether socioeconomic inequalities exist in these countries. Against this backdrop, this study analyses whether socioeconomic determinants influence the use of prescribed and non-prescribed medicines in eight Central and Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia). Further, the study discusses observed (in)equalities in medicine use in the context of the pharmaceutical policy framework and the implementation in these countries. The study is based on cross-sectional data from the first wave of the European Health Interview Survey (2007-2009). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine the association between socioeconomic status (measured by employment status, education, income; controlled for age, gender, health status) and medicine use (prescribed and non-prescribed medicines). This was supplemented by a pharmaceutical policy analysis based on indicators in four policy dimensions (sustainable funding, affordability, availability and accessibility, and rational selection and use of medicines). Overall, the analysis showed a gradient favouring individuals from higher socioeconomic groups in the consumption of non-prescribed medicines in the eight surveyed countries, and for prescribed medicines in three countries (Latvia, Poland, Romania). The pharmaceutical systems in the eight countries were, to varying degrees, characterized by a lack of (public) funding, thus resulting in high and growing shares of private financing (including co-payments for prescribed medicines), inefficiencies in the selection of medicines into reimbursement and limitations in medicines availability. Pharmaceutical policies aiming at reducing inequalities in medicine use require not only a consideration of the role of co-payments and other private expenditure but also adequate investment in medicines and transparent and clear processes regarding the inclusion of medicines into reimbursement.

Budget impact analysis of biosimilar infliximab (CT-P13) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in six Central and Eastern European countries.

PubMed

Brodszky, Valentin; Baji, Petra; Balogh, Orsolya; Péntek, Márta

2014-05-01

The first biosimilar monoclonal antibody (infliximab, CT-P13) was registered by the European Medicines Agency in 2013 for the treatment of several inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Biosimilar infliximab is first being marketed in the Central and Eastern European countries. This paper presents the estimated budget impact of the introduction of biosimilar infliximab in RA over a 3-year time period in six selected countries, namely Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. A prevalence-based model was constructed for budget impact analysis. Two scenarios were compared to the reference scenario (RSc) where no biosimilar infliximab is available: biosimilar scenario 1 (BSc1), where interchanging the originator infliximab with biosimilar infliximab is disallowed, and only patients who start new biological therapy are allowed to use biosimilar infliximab; as well as biosimilar scenario 2 (BSc2), where interchanging the originator infliximab with biosimilar infliximab is allowed, and 80% of patients treated with originator infliximab are interchanged to biosimilar infliximab. Compared to the RSc, the net savings are estimated to be €15.3 or €20.8 M in BSc1 and BSc2, respectively, over the 3 years. If budget savings were spent on reimbursement of additional biosimilar infliximab treatment, approximately 1,200 or 1,800 more patients could be treated in the six countries within 3 years in the two biosimilar scenarios, respectively. The actual saving is most sensitive to the assumption of the acquisition cost of the biosimilar drug and to the initial number of patients treated with biological therapy. The study focused on one indication (RA) and demonstrated that the introduction of biosimilar infliximab can lead to substantial budget savings in health care budgets. Further savings are expected for other indications where biosimilar medicines are implemented.

Environmental Impact Assessment in the Visegrad Group countries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gałaś, Slávka, E-mail: sgalas@geol.agh.edu.pl; Gałaś, Andrzej, E-mail: pollux@geol.agh.edu.pl; Zeleňáková, Martina, E-mail: martina.zelenakova@tuke.sk

Highlights: • Comparison and evaluation of EIA systems in the V4 countries are presented. • Strengths and weaknesses of EIA systems based on a questionnaire survey are stated. • The function and efficiency of the EIA application in the V4 countries are analysed. • Irregularities and shortcomings of EIA systems in the V4 should be eliminated. The Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIA Directive) has created a reference framework for the implementation of the system of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) into the legal systems of the Member States of the European Union, including the countries belonging to the Visegrad Group (V4):more » Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The Directive was the basis for the introduction of compulsory stages of the EIA process in the V4. The stages were then adapted to national requirements, including thresholds of the qualifying criteria of projects at the screening and scoping stages. The EIA system in the analysed countries has been growing, changing and being modified together with the political and economic changes of the last 30 years. Although all Visegrad Group countries are members of the EU and should harmonize the provisions of the EIA Directive and its amendments, there still exist singularities in each country's national EIA legislation, in terms of complementarities among the V4 countries, access to information resources, protection of natural resources, mitigation of socio-environmental impacts, or transboundary impact assessment. The article compares and evaluates the EIA systems in the four countries, specifies similarities and differences in the implementation of administrative proceedings and points out opportunities to strengthen the system. It presents selected results of a study conducted in 2013 within the framework of the international project “Assessment of the quality of the environment in the V4 Countries” (AQE V4). This paper indicates examples of good practice in the EIA systems and the obtained results are compared regarding the amendments to the current European Union EIA Directive.« less

Mental health policy in Eastern Europe: a comparative analysis of seven mental health systems

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The objective of this international comparative study is to describe and compare the mental health policies in seven countries of Eastern Europe that share their common communist history: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Methods The health policy questionnaire was developed and the country-specific information was gathered by local experts. The questionnaire includes both qualitative and quantitative information on various aspects of mental health policy: (1) basic country information (demography, health, and economic indicators), (2) health care financing, (3) mental health services (capacities and utilisation, ownership), (4) health service purchasing (purchasing organisations, contracting, reimbursement of services), and (5) mental health policy (policy documents, legislation, civic society). Results The social and economic transition in the 1990s initiated the process of new mental health policy formulation, adoption of mental health legislation stressing human rights of patients, and a strong call for a pragmatic balance of community and hospital services. In contrast to the development in the Western Europe, the civic society was suppressed and NGOs and similar organizations were practically non-existent or under governmental control. Mental health services are financed from the public health insurance as any other health services. There is no separate budget for mental health. We can observe that the know-how about modern mental health care and about direction of needed reforms is available in documents, policies and programmes. However, this does not mean real implementation. Conclusions The burden of totalitarian history still influences many areas of social and economic life, which also has to be taken into account in mental health policy. We may observe that after twenty years of health reforms and reforms of health reforms, the transition of the mental health systems still continues. In spite of many reform efforts in the past, a balance of community and hospital mental health services has not been achieved in this part of the world yet. PMID:24467832

Constitution, 1989. [Selected provisions].

PubMed

1989-01-01

Chapter XII of the Hungarian Constitution, 1989, details the Fundamental Rights and Duties of Citizens. Everyone lawfully within the territory of Hungary has the right to liberty of movement and the freedom to choose his or her residence, except when restricted by law, including the right to leave his or her residence or county. The Republic of Hungary grants asylum to foreign citizens who were persecuted for racial, religious ethnic, linguistic, or political reasons. Men and women shall equally enjoy all civil, political, economic, social and political rights. Mothers are entitled to special care and protection before and after childbirth; women and juveniles are protected at work by special regulations. Every child has the right to special care an assistance from his or her family, the State, and society, for appropriate physical, spiritual, and moral development. Parents shall decide the kind of education their children receive. Hungary grants equal rights to all person within its territories, without regard to race, color, sex, language, religion, political, or other opinion, national, and social origin, property, birth and other status. Prejudicial discrimination shall be severely punished. Everyone has the right to work, to the free choice of employment and profession and to equal pay for equal work. Citizens have the right to social security, including social services necessary in old age, sickness, disability, widowhood, orphanhood an unemployment through no fault of their own. Hungary guarantees the right to culture for its citizens and realized this right by free and compulsory elementary education, by secondary and higher education which is accessible to all on the basis of capacity, and by the financial support of those receiving an education.

Wigner in Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marx, George

2002-04-01

Eugene P. Wigner was born into a well-to-do family in Budapest 100 years ago. .He attended the Fasori Lutheran Gymnasium, which educated - among others - John von Neumann, and John Harsanyi,Nobel-laureate in economics. Wigner was influenced by his math teacher, László Rátz who taught calculus in high school. World War I, revolutions and counter/revolutions, kingdom, republic, soviet type council republic followed each other in dizzying sequence, so Wigner decided to continue his university studies in Berlin, where quantum mechanics was discussed and developed in the 1920s. After his Ph.D. Wigner worked in Budapest and in Berlin, and he elaborated the foundations of quantum mechanics based on symmetry principles. He wrote his book on symmetries during a summer holiday in Hungary, and this later brought him the Nobel Prize. Wigner moved to the U.S. in 1930, where he enjoyed the excellent working conditions and recognition. He revisited his homeland only in the 1970s, where his ideas about the future attracted huge audiences at the Academy of Sciences, at universities, and in the Physical Society. He received high honors from his home country - a bit belatedly. The principal focus of his attention was the quantum-mechanical concept of measurement, the role of human consciousness. But even in his last years, in the 1980s, he most enjoyed his visits to high schools - attending physics classes, discussing the future of science in human society with teachers and students.

A common founder mutation in FANCA underlies the world's highest prevalence of Fanconi anemia in Gypsy families from Spain.

PubMed

Callén, Elsa; Casado, José A; Tischkowitz, Marc D; Bueren, Juan A; Creus, Amadeu; Marcos, Ricard; Dasí, Angeles; Estella, Jesús M; Muñoz, Arturo; Ortega, Juan J; de Winter, Johan; Joenje, Hans; Schindler, Detlev; Hanenberg, Helmut; Hodgson, Shirley V; Mathew, Christopher G; Surrallés, Jordi

2005-03-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetic disease characterized by bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition. Here we have identified Spanish Gypsies as the ethnic group with the world's highest prevalence of FA (carrier frequency of 1/64-1/70). DNA sequencing of the FANCA gene in 8 unrelated Spanish Gypsy FA families after retroviral subtyping revealed a homozygous FANCA mutation (295C>T) leading to FANCA truncation and FA pathway disruption. This mutation appeared specific for Spanish Gypsies as it is not found in other Gypsy patients with FA from Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, and Ireland. Haplotype analysis showed that Spanish Gypsy patients all share the same haplotype. Our data thus suggest that the high incidence of FA among Spanish Gypsies is due to an ancestral founder mutation in FANCA that originated in Spain less than 600 years ago. The high carrier frequency makes the Spanish Gypsies a population model to study FA heterozygote mutations in cancer.

Problems of Military Cemeteries Greenery - Case Study of the Military Cemetery in Zvolen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halajová, Denisa; Petreková, Denisa; Bihuňová, Mária

2017-10-01

The intention of this work is to highlight the importance of understanding military cemeteries as objects of cultural and historical heritage and as a part of garden design history. The design and maintenance of cemeteries and graves is a manifestation of the national culture. This is even more evident in military cemeteries, the maintenance of which is regulated by international agreements. Objects of military cemeteries are important places not only from the historical and architectural point of view, but also as green space. Most military cemeteries in Slovakia originated from World War I and II. In Slovakia, 160,000 soldiers were buried, 75,206 of them lost their lives in World War I and 93,000 in World War II. 32,495 war graves are registered by The Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic - 23,316 war graves from World War I and 9,179 from World War II. From the period of World War II, there are 22 cemeteries and graveyards in Slovakia, established for soldiers of the Soviet, German, Romanian and Czechoslovak army. Military cemeteries and memorials are mostly high quality works of architecture and art. This paper focuses on the current situation and restoration issues of military cemeteries by examining the Military Cemetery in Zvolen. In the context of its planned reconstruction, a comprehensive tree assessment has been started in 2016. The Military Cemetery in Zvolen, being one of the largest military cemeteries in Slovakia, consists of The Cemetery of the Soviet Army with 17,628 buried soldiers and The Romanian Cemetery with 11,000 buried soldiers. The Romanian Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries of the Romanian Army in Europe. Both cemeteries were declared national cultural monuments in 1963. In the cemetery, dendrometrical parameters and the health condition of trees were evaluated. In total, there are 825 woody plants. In both cemeteries, coniferous trees prevail, mainly individuals of the genus Thuja (49.4 %). Moreover, the maintenance of greenery and the aesthetics of the landscape composition were assessed. Based on the assessment of woody plant species composition, health condition of trees and their aesthetic qualities, necessary changes in the cemetery landscape composition were designed.

Inequalities in mortality by socioeconomic factors and Roma ethnicity in the two biggest cities in Slovakia: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Rosicova, Katarina; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Stewart, Roy E; Rosic, Martin; Groothoff, Johan W; van Dijk, Jitse P

2015-11-05

The socioeconomic and ethnic composition of urban neighbourhoods may affect mortality, but evidence on Central European cities is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between socioeconomic and ethnic neighbourhood indicators and the mortality of individuals aged 20-64 years old in the two biggest cities of the Slovak Republic. We obtained data on the characteristics of neighbourhoods and districts (educational level, unemployment, income and share of Roma) and on individual mortality of residents aged 20-64 years old, for the two largest cities in the Slovak Republic (Bratislava and Kosice) in the period 2003-2005. We performed multilevel Poisson regression analyses adjusted for age and gender on the individual (mortality), neighbourhood (education level and share of Roma in population) and district levels (unemployment and income). The proportions of Roma and of low-educated residents were associated with mortality at the neighbourhood level in both cities. Mutually adjusted, only the association with the proportion of Roma remained in the model (risk ratio 1.02; 95 % confidence interval 1.01-1.04). The area indicators - high education, income and unemployment - were not associated with mortality. The proportion of Roma is associated with early mortality in the two biggest cities in the Slovak Republic.

Supplementary comparison of 500 microgram, 200 microgram, 100 microgram and 50 microgram weights—EURAMET.M.M-S9

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Stuart; Valcu, Adriana; Medina, Nieves; Zuda, Jaroslav; Snopko, Laurenc; Kolozinska, Irena

2017-01-01

A comparison of sub-milligram mass standards was undertaken within EURAMET between NPL (as the pilot laboratory), INM (Romania), CEM (Spain), CMI (Czech Republic), SMU (Slovakia) and NSC IM (Ukraine). The weights circulated had nominal values of 500 micrograms, 200 micrograms (2 weights), 100 micrograms and 50 micrograms. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Environmental Engineering in the Slovak Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevulova, N.; Balintova, M.; Zelenakova, M.; Estokova, A.; Vilcekova, S.

2017-10-01

The fundamental role of environmental engineering is to protect human population and environment from impacts of human activities and to ensure environmental quality. It relates to achieving the environmental sustainability goals through advanced technologies for pollutants removing from air, water and soil in order to minimize risk in ecosystem and ensuring favourable conditions for life of humans and organisms. Nowadays, a critical analysis of the environment quality and innovative approaches to problem solving in order to achieve sustainability in environmental engineering, are necessary. This article presents an overview of the quality of the environment and progress in environmental engineering in Slovakia and gives information regarding the environmental engineering education at Faculty of Civil Engineering at Technical University in Kosice.

EUPOS - Satellite multifunctional system of reference stations in Central and Eastern Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sledzinski, J.

2003-04-01

The European project EUPOS (European Position Determination System) of establishment of a system of multifunctional satellite reference stations in Central and Eastern Europe is described in the paper. Fifteen countries intend to participate in the project: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. One common project will be prepared for all countries, however it will include the existing or developed infrastructure in particular countries. The experiences of establishing and operating of the German network SAPOS as well as experiences gained by other countries will be used. The European network of stations will be compatible with the system SAPOS and future European system Galileo. The network of reference stations will provide signal for both positioning of the geodetic control points and for land, air and marine navigation. Several levels of positioning accuracy will be delivered.

[Globalization and its impact on pharmacy services in the Slovak Republic].

PubMed

Malovecká, Ivona; Minarovič, Igor; Mináriková, Daniela; Lehocká, Lubica; Snopková, Miroslava; Foltán, Viliam

2014-02-01

Public pharmacies are excellent medical facilities having the largest number of contacts with patients. They are the facilities of the first and last contact with the health care system for the patient. Public pharmacies are unique and easily accessible places in the health care system with a high proficiency in the provision of pharmaceutical care and highly qualified medical staff. The aim of this paper was to determine geographical-demographic situation, the legal form of the ownership of public pharmacies, and the owner share of pharmacists on the capital of public pharmacies in Slovakia. The number on of providers of pharmaceutical care depends on the population at the level of regions, districts, towns and villages with differing tightness of binding. The most common legal form of the provider of pharmaceutical care in Slovakia in public pharmacies were limited companies with 73.6% share, a sole proprietor - pharmacist had 23.9%, and public limited companies had 1.3%. In the branches of public pharmacies the limited companies had 73.4% share, a sole proprietor - pharmacist had 26%, public limited companies had 1%. The owner share of the pharmacist on the capital in public pharmacies was 50.4%, and in the branches of public pharmacies it was 66%, owned by a sole proprietor or limited company.

Prevalence and Trends of Metabolic Syndrome in Slovakia during the Period of 2003-2012.

PubMed

Ostrihoňová, Tímea; Rimárová, Kvetoslava; Bérešová, Janka; Kontrošová, Silvia; Dorko, Erik; Diabelková, Jana

2017-12-01

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of clinical risk factors for cardiovascular disease as well as for diabetes. Metabolic syndrome arises from insulin resistance accompanied with abnormal adipose deposition. The aim of our cross-sectional time trends study was to characterize the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its five risk determinants among the clients of Health Advice Centres of Regional Public Health Authorities in Slovakia. The study was stratified by gender and age groups during the 10 year period from 2003–2012. Prevalence data were estimated in adults and children (≥10 years, N=79,904) from the nationwide electronic database of Health Advice Centres of Regional Public Health Authorities in Slovak Republic "Test of healthy heart" from 2003 to 2012. The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 30.2% in males and 26.6% in females, abdominal obesity was confirmed in 48.3% of males and 53.9% of females. Increased triglyceride level has higher prevalence among males (33.3%) compared to females (24.2%). Blood pressure (BP) values and fasting glucose values were significantly higher in males (58.2%) than females (41.9%). During the 10 year period from 2003 to 2012, we confirmed an increased trend in the age-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Abdominal obesity and elevated triglycerides had also increased time trends prevalence in both sexes. The prevalence of people without risk determinants of metabolic syndrome had a time decreasing trend. A surprising finding is a decrease in the proportion of persons with suboptimal HDL-cholesterol. The proportion of people with elevated BP and glucose showed little change during the reporting period. The increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, and elevated triglycerides highlights the urgency of addressing these health problems as a healthcare priority to reduce cardiovascular mortality in the Slovak Republic. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2017

Flooding along Danube River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Heavy rains in Central and Eastern Europe over the past few weeks have led to some of the worst flooding the region has witnessed in over a century. The floods have killed more than 100 people in Germany, Russia, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic and have led to as much as $20 billion in damage. This false-color image of the Danube River and its tributaries was taken on August 19, 2002, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA's Terra satellite. Budapest, the capital of Hungary, sits just south of the large bend in the river at the top of the image. Here the water reached levels not seen since 1965. Fortunately, the riverbanks are lined with 33-foot retainer walls throughout the city, so it did not face the same fate as Dresden or Prague along the Elbe River. But as one can see, the floodwaters hit many rural areas farther south. As last reported, the water was receding along the Danube. Credit: Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.

Public Participation Procedure in Integrated Transport and Green Infrastructure Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finka, Maroš; Ondrejička, Vladimír; Jamečný, Ľubomír; Husár, Milan

2017-10-01

The dialogue among the decision makers and stakeholders is a crucial part of any decision-making processes, particularly in case of integrated transportation planning and planning of green infrastructure where a multitude of actors is present. Although the theory of public participation is well-developed after several decades of research, there is still a lack of practical guidelines due to the specificity of public participation challenges. The paper presents a model of public participation for integrated transport and green infrastructure planning for international project TRANSGREEN covering the area of five European countries - Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Romania. The challenge of the project is to coordinate the efforts of public actors and NGOs in international environment in oftentimes precarious projects of transport infrastructure building and developing of green infrastructure. The project aims at developing and environmentally-friendly and safe international transport network. The proposed public participation procedure consists of five main steps - spread of information (passive), collection of information (consultation), intermediate discussion, engagement and partnership (empowerment). The initial spread of information is a process of communicating with the stakeholders, informing and educating them and it is based on their willingness to be informed. The methods used in this stage are public displays, newsletters or press releases. The second step of consultation is based on transacting the opinions of stakeholders to the decision makers. Pools, surveys, public hearings or written responses are examples of the multitude of ways to achieve this objective and the main principle of openness of stakeholders. The third step is intermediate discussion where all sides of are invited to a dialogue using the tools such as public meetings, workshops or urban walks. The fourth step is an engagement based on humble negotiation, arbitration and mediation. The collaborative skill needed here is dealing with conflicts. The final step in the procedure is partnership and empowerment employing methods as multi-actor decision making, voting or referenda. The leading principle is cooperation. In this ultimate step, the stakeholders are becoming decision makers themselves and the success factor here is continuous evaluation.

Position paper on screening for breast cancer by the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) and 30 national breast radiology bodies from Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

PubMed

Sardanelli, Francesco; Aase, Hildegunn S; Álvarez, Marina; Azavedo, Edward; Baarslag, Henk J; Balleyguier, Corinne; Baltzer, Pascal A; Beslagic, Vanesa; Bick, Ulrich; Bogdanovic-Stojanovic, Dragana; Briediene, Ruta; Brkljacic, Boris; Camps Herrero, Julia; Colin, Catherine; Cornford, Eleanor; Danes, Jan; de Geer, Gérard; Esen, Gul; Evans, Andrew; Fuchsjaeger, Michael H; Gilbert, Fiona J; Graf, Oswald; Hargaden, Gormlaith; Helbich, Thomas H; Heywang-Köbrunner, Sylvia H; Ivanov, Valentin; Jónsson, Ásbjörn; Kuhl, Christiane K; Lisencu, Eugenia C; Luczynska, Elzbieta; Mann, Ritse M; Marques, Jose C; Martincich, Laura; Mortier, Margarete; Müller-Schimpfle, Markus; Ormandi, Katalin; Panizza, Pietro; Pediconi, Federica; Pijnappel, Ruud M; Pinker, Katja; Rissanen, Tarja; Rotaru, Natalia; Saguatti, Gianni; Sella, Tamar; Slobodníková, Jana; Talk, Maret; Taourel, Patrice; Trimboli, Rubina M; Vejborg, Ilse; Vourtsis, Athina; Forrai, Gabor

2017-07-01

EUSOBI and 30 national breast radiology bodies support mammography for population-based screening, demonstrated to reduce breast cancer (BC) mortality and treatment impact. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the reduction in mortality is 40 % for women aged 50-69 years taking up the invitation while the probability of false-positive needle biopsy is <1 % per round and overdiagnosis is only 1-10 % for a 20-year screening. Mortality reduction was also observed for the age groups 40-49 years and 70-74 years, although with "limited evidence". Thus, we firstly recommend biennial screening mammography for average-risk women aged 50-69 years; extension up to 73 or 75 years, biennially, is a second priority, from 40-45 to 49 years, annually, a third priority. Screening with thermography or other optical tools as alternatives to mammography is discouraged. Preference should be given to population screening programmes on a territorial basis, with double reading. Adoption of digital mammography (not film-screen or phosphor-plate computer radiography) is a priority, which also improves sensitivity in dense breasts. Radiologists qualified as screening readers should be involved in programmes. Digital breast tomosynthesis is also set to become "routine mammography" in the screening setting in the next future. Dedicated pathways for high-risk women offering breast MRI according to national or international guidelines and recommendations are encouraged. • EUSOBI and 30 national breast radiology bodies support screening mammography. • A first priority is double-reading biennial mammography for women aged 50-69 years. • Extension to 73-75 and from 40-45 to 49 years is also encouraged. • Digital mammography (not film-screen or computer radiography) should be used. • DBT is set to become "routine mammography" in the screening setting in the next future.

Health Systems and Their Assessment: A Methodological Proposal of the Synthetic Outcome Measure

PubMed Central

Romaniuk, Piotr; Kaczmarek, Krzysztof; Syrkiewicz-Świtała, Magdalena; Holecki, Tomasz; Szromek, Adam R.

2018-01-01

The effectiveness of health systems is an area of constant interest for public health researchers and practitioners. The varied approach to effectiveness itself has resulted in numerous methodological proposals related to its measurement. The limitations of the currently used methods lead to a constant search for better tools for the assessment of health systems. This article shows the possibilities of using the health system synthetic outcome measure (SOM) for this purpose. It is an original tool using 41 indicators referring to the epidemiological situation, health behaviors, and factors related to the health-care system, which allows a relatively quick and easy assessment of the health system in terms of its effectiveness. Construction of the measure of health system functioning in such a way allowed its presentation in dynamic perspective, i.e., assessing not only the health system itself in a given moment of time but also changes in the value of the effectiveness measures. In order to demonstrate the cognitive value of the SOM, the analysis of the effectiveness of health systems in 21 countries of Central and Eastern Europe during the transformation period was carried out. The mean SOM values calculated on the basis of the component measures allowed to differentiate countries in terms of the effectiveness of their health systems. Considering the whole period, a similar level of health system effects can be observed in Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Macedonia, and Albania. In the middle group, Hungary, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Belarus, and Armenia were found. The third group, weakest in terms of achieved effects, was formed by health systems in countries like Ukraine, Moldova, and Russia. The presented method allows for the analysis of the health system outcomes from a comparative angle, eliminating arbitrariness of pinpointing a model solution as a potential reference point in the assessment of the systems. The measure, with the use of additional statistical tools to establish correlations with elements of the external and internal environment of a health system, allows for conducting analyses of conditions for differences in the effects of health system operation and circumstances for the effectiveness of reform processes.

Pharmaceutical Regulation in Central and Eastern European Countries: A Current Review

PubMed Central

Kawalec, Paweł; Tesar, Tomas; Vostalova, Lenka; Draganic, Pero; Manova, Manoela; Savova, Alexandra; Petrova, Guenka; Rugaja, Zinta; Männik, Agnes; Sowada, Christoph; Stawowczyk, Ewa; Harsanyi, Andras; Inotai, Andras; Turcu-Stiolica, Adina; Gulbinovič, Jolanta; Pilc, Andrzej

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review reimbursement environment as well as pricing and reimbursement requirements for drugs in selected Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was performed in the period from November 2016 to March 2017 among experts involved in reimbursement matters from CEE countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. A review of requirements for reimbursement and implications of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) was performed to compare the issues in above-mentioned countries. For each specified country, data for reimbursement costs, total pharmaceutical budget, and total public health care budget in the years 2014 and 2015 were also collected. Questionnaires were distributed via emails and feedback data were obtained in the same way. Additional questions, if any, were also submitted to respondents by email. Pricing and reimbursement data were valid for March 2017. Results: The survey revealed that the relation of drug reimbursement costs to total public healthcare spending ranged from 0.12 to 0.21 in the year 2014 and 2015 (median value). It also revealed that pricing criteria for drugs, employed in the CEE countries, were quite similar. External reference pricing as well as internal reference pricing were common in mentioned countries. Positive reimbursement lists were valid in all countries of the CEE region, negative ones were rarely used; reimbursement decisions were regularly revised and updated in the majority of countries. Copayment was common and available levels of reimbursement differed within and between the countries and ranged from 20 to 100%. Risk-sharing schemes were often in use, especially in the case of innovative, expensive drugs. Generic substitution was also possible in all analyzed CEE countries, while some made it mandatory. HTA was carried out in almost all of the considered CEE countries and HTA dossier was obligatory for submitting a pricing and reimbursement application. Conclusions: Pricing and reimbursement requirements are quite similar in the CEE region although some differences were identified. HTA evaluations are commonly used in considered countries. PMID:29326583

Epidemiology of Tularemia

PubMed Central

Gürcan, Şaban

2014-01-01

Tularemia is considered to have existed in Anatolia for several thousand years. There are suspicions regarding its use in biological warfare in the Neshite-Arzawan conflict. The causative agent of tularemia may have first been used as a biological weapon in 1320–1318 BC. The disease has recently become a significant re-emerging disease globally as well as in Turkey. In the period of 2001–2010, Kosovo had the highest annual incidence in Europe at a rate of 5.2 per 100,000. Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway, Serbia-Montenegro, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Croatia follow with rates of 2.80, 1.19, 1.0, 0.81, 0.42, 0.4, 0.36, 0.21, and 0.15 per 100,000 people, respectively. Tularemia in Turkey was first reported in the soldiers living in the region very close to the Kaynarca Stream of Thrace in 1936. It has started to gain more and more importance, especially in recent decades in Turkey, due to a very high number of cases and its spread throughout the country. A total of 431 tularemia cases were recorded in Turkey in 2005, but a significant reduction was observed in the number of the cases in the next three years; the number of patients decreased to 71 in 2008. The number of cases increased again in 2009 and continued in subsequent years. The number of cases reached 428, 1531, 2151, and 607 in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively. The number of cases peaked in 2011 in Turkey, and was in fact higher than the total number of cases in all European Union countries. The number of cases is higher in females than males in Turkey. In Turkey, 52% of cases of tularemia diagnoses occur from December to March and the most common clinical presentation is the oropharyngeal form caused by contaminated water. Rodents are the most likely sources of tularemia outbreaks in Turkey as well as in Kosovo. Organisms such as ticks, flies and mosquitoes are vectors of tularemia transmission to mammals. Because ticks can carry the bacteria by both transovarial and transstadial transmission, they play a role in the life cycle of tularemia as both reservoir and vector. PMID:25207161

Health Systems and Their Assessment: A Methodological Proposal of the Synthetic Outcome Measure.

PubMed

Romaniuk, Piotr; Kaczmarek, Krzysztof; Syrkiewicz-Świtała, Magdalena; Holecki, Tomasz; Szromek, Adam R

2018-01-01

The effectiveness of health systems is an area of constant interest for public health researchers and practitioners. The varied approach to effectiveness itself has resulted in numerous methodological proposals related to its measurement. The limitations of the currently used methods lead to a constant search for better tools for the assessment of health systems. This article shows the possibilities of using the health system synthetic outcome measure (SOM) for this purpose. It is an original tool using 41 indicators referring to the epidemiological situation, health behaviors, and factors related to the health-care system, which allows a relatively quick and easy assessment of the health system in terms of its effectiveness. Construction of the measure of health system functioning in such a way allowed its presentation in dynamic perspective, i.e., assessing not only the health system itself in a given moment of time but also changes in the value of the effectiveness measures. In order to demonstrate the cognitive value of the SOM, the analysis of the effectiveness of health systems in 21 countries of Central and Eastern Europe during the transformation period was carried out. The mean SOM values calculated on the basis of the component measures allowed to differentiate countries in terms of the effectiveness of their health systems. Considering the whole period, a similar level of health system effects can be observed in Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Macedonia, and Albania. In the middle group, Hungary, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Belarus, and Armenia were found. The third group, weakest in terms of achieved effects, was formed by health systems in countries like Ukraine, Moldova, and Russia. The presented method allows for the analysis of the health system outcomes from a comparative angle, eliminating arbitrariness of pinpointing a model solution as a potential reference point in the assessment of the systems. The measure, with the use of additional statistical tools to establish correlations with elements of the external and internal environment of a health system, allows for conducting analyses of conditions for differences in the effects of health system operation and circumstances for the effectiveness of reform processes.

Final report on EURAMET.QM-S10/1274: supplementary comparison of preparative capabilities for automotive gas mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Val'ková, M.; Ďurišová, Z.; Szilágyi, Z. N.; Büki, T.; Fükű, J.

2016-01-01

This bilateral supplementary preparative comparison involves standard gas mixtures of automotive gas containing carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and propane in nitrogen. Two laboratories (SMU, Slovakia and MKEH, Hungary) participated in this supplementary comparison. SMU was the coordinating laboratory, responsible for collecting and reporting measurement results. The participants have established facilities for automotive gas gravimetric preparation and analysis. The agreement of the results in this supplementary comparison is good. All the results with their reported uncertainties are in agreement with the reference values for the participants. SMU participated and obtained good results in the previous preparative comparison organised within EURAMET in this field. Both laboratories have existing claims for their Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMCs) for automotive gas mixtures. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Burnout syndrome as an occupational disease in the European Union: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Lastovkova, Andrea; Carder, Melanie; Rasmussen, Hans Martin; Sjoberg, Lars; Groene, Gerda J de; Sauni, Riitta; Vevoda, Jiri; Vevodova, Sarka; Lasfargues, Gerard; Svartengren, Magnus; Varga, Marek; Colosio, Claudio; Pelclova, Daniela

2018-04-07

The risk of psychological disorders influencing the health of workers increases in accordance with growing requirements on employees across various professions. This study aimed to compare approaches to the burnout syndrome in European countries. A questionnaire focusing on stress-related occupational diseases was distributed to national experts of 28 European Union countries. A total of 23 countries responded. In 9 countries (Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden) burnout syndrome may be acknowledged as an occupational disease. Latvia has burnout syndrome explicitly included on the List of ODs. Compensation for burnout syndrome has been awarded in Denmark, France, Latvia, Portugal and Sweden. Only in 39% of the countries a possibility to acknowledge burnout syndrome as an occupational disease exists, with most of compensated cases only occurring in recent years. New systems to collect data on suspected cases have been developed reflecting the growing recognition of the impact of the psychosocial work environment. In agreement with the EU legislation, all EU countries in the study have an action plan to prevent stress at the workplace.

Health, migration and border management: analysis and capacity-building at Europe's borders.

PubMed

Hollings, Jennifer; Samuilova, Mariya; Petrova-Benedict, Roumyana

2012-04-01

Three key elements were analysed in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia as a basis for strengthening the capacity of staff and structures related to health, migration and border management: public health concerns linked to migration, health needs and rights of migrants and the occupational health of staff. This IOM project was implemented through an in-depth situation analysis as well as the development of training modules and public health guidelines. Findings indicate a paucity of existing data, gaps in the health care for migrants and few existing tools for border officials and health professionals. Sets of training modules were developed for each of these groups, including common modules on migration and the right to health and intercultural communication, as well as targeted health modules. The guidelines promote good practices in the context of border management and detention. The EU is working towards a common immigration policy and integrated border management; however, a harmonized approach to migration and health is still lacking. Further research and piloting of the developed materials is needed to fully establish an adaptable, common toolkit.

Subgeneric division of the genus Orcula Held 1837 with remarks on Romanian orculid data (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Orculidae)

PubMed Central

Páll-Gergely, Barna; Deli, Tamás; Irikov, Atanas; Harl, Josef

2013-01-01

Abstract The genital anatomy of Orcula jetschini (Romania), Orcula zilchi (Bulgaria), and Orcula wagneri (Albania) is described. Based on anatomical features (morphology of the penial caecum) shell characters (sculpture and shape) and unpublished molecular data the genus Orcula is subdivided into three subgenera. Orcula zilchi was classified within the monotypic subgenus Orcula (Hausdorfia) subgen. n.; Orcula jetschini, Orcula wagneri, and Orcula schmidtii were classified to Orcula (Illyriobanatica) subgen. n. (type species: Pupa schmidtii) whereas the other Orcula species remain in the nominotypical subgenus. Orcula (Hausdorfia) is known from South-Eastern Bulgaria and North-Western Turkey, Orcula (Illyriobanatica) inhabits Western Romania, North-Western Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro. The nine species of Orcula (Orcula) are known mainly from the Alps and the Western Carpathians (from Eastern France to Eastern Hungary and Slovakia). The occurrence of only one Orcula species namely Orcula jetschini is verified from Romania. Available information suggests that data on the Romanian occurrence of Orcula dolium and Orcula gularis were based on wrongly identified specimens. Sphyradium dobrogicum (=Orcula dobrogica) is considered as a synonym of Sphyradium doliolum. PMID:23794893

The PATH project in eight European countries: an evaluation.

PubMed

Veillard, Jeremy Henri Maurice; Schiøtz, Michaela Louise; Guisset, Ann-Lise; Brown, Adalsteinn Davidson; Klazinga, Niek S

2013-01-01

This paper's aim is to evaluate the perceived impact and the enabling factors and barriers experienced by hospital staff participating in an international hospital performance measurement project focused on internal quality improvement. Semi-structured interviews involving international hospital performance measurement project coordinators, including 140 hospitals from eight European countries (Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia). Inductively analyzing the interview transcripts was carried out using the grounded theory approach. Even when public reporting is absent, the project was perceived as having stimulated performance measurement and quality improvement initiatives in participating hospitals. Attention should be paid to leadership/ownership, context, content (project intrinsic features) and processes supporting elements. Generalizing the findings is limited by the study's small sample size. Possible implications for the WHO European Regional Office and for participating hospitals would be to assess hospital preparedness to participate in the PATH project, depending on context, process and structural elements; and enhance performance and practice benchmarking through suggested approaches. This research gathered rich and unique material related to an international performance measurement project. It derived actionable findings.

Work stress and health in Western European and post-communist countries: an East-West comparison study.

PubMed

Salavecz, G; Chandola, T; Pikhart, H; Dragano, N; Siegrist, J; Jöckel, K-H; Erbel, R; Pajak, A; Malyutina, S; Kubinova, R; Marmot, M; Bobak, M; Kopp, M

2010-01-01

There is evidence that psychosocial factors at work influence the risk of poor health in Western societies, but little is known about the effect of work stress in the former communist countries. The aim of this paper is to compare the association of work stress with self-rated health in Western European and post-communist countries. Data from four epidemiological studies were used: the HAPIEE study (Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic), the Hungarian Epidemiological Panel (Hungary), the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study (Germany) and the Whitehall II study (UK). The overall sample consisted of 18 494 male and female workers aged 35-65 years. High effort-reward imbalance at work was associated with poor self-rated health. The adjusted odds ratios for the highest versus lowest quartile of the effort-reward ratio were 3.8 (95% CI 1.9 to 7.7) in Hungary, 3.6 (95% CI 2.3 to 5.7) in the Czech Republic, 2.5 (95% CI 1.5 to 4.1) in the UK, 2.3 (95% CI 1.6 to 3.5) in Germany, 1.5 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.1) in Poland and 1.4 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.8) in Russia. The differences in odds ratios between countries were statistically significant (p<0.05). A similar pattern was observed for the effect of overcommitment on poor health. The association of effort-reward imbalance at work and of a high degree of work-related overcommitment with poor self-rated health was seen in all countries, but the size of the effects differed considerably. It does not appear that the effects in Eastern Europe are systematically stronger than in the West.

Work stress and health in Western European and post-communist countries: an East–West comparison study

PubMed Central

Salavecz, G; Chandola, T; Pikhart, H; Dragano, N; Siegrist, J; Jöckel, K-H; Erbel, R; Pajak, A; Malyutina, S; Kubinova, R; Marmot, M; Bobak, M; Kopp, M

2014-01-01

Background There is evidence that psychosocial factors at work influence the risk of poor health in Western societies, but little is known about the effect of work stress in the former communist countries. The aim of this paper is to compare the association of work stress with self-rated health in Western European and post-communist countries. Methods Data from four epidemiological studies were used: the HAPIEE study (Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic), the Hungarian Epidemiological Panel (Hungary), the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study (Germany) and the Whitehall II study (UK). The overall sample consisted of 18 494 male and female workers aged 35–65 years. Results High effort-reward imbalance at work was associated with poor self-rated health. The adjusted odds ratios for the highest versus lowest quartile of the effort-reward ratio were 3.8 (95% CI 1.9 to 7.7) in Hungary, 3.6 (95% CI 2.3 to 5.7) in the Czech Republic, 2.5 (95% CI 1.5 to 4.1) in the UK, 2.3 (95% CI 1.6 to 3.5) in Germany, 1.5 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.1) in Poland and 1.4 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.8) in Russia. The differences in odds ratios between countries were statistically significant (p<0.05). A similar pattern was observed for the effect of overcommitment on poor health. Conclusion The association of effort-reward imbalance at work and of a high degree of work-related overcommitment with poor self-rated health was seen in all countries, but the size of the effects differed considerably. It does not appear that the effects in Eastern Europe are systematically stronger than in the West. PMID:19692735

[Influenza and influenza-like acute respiratory diseases in Slovakia in the 1999-2000 season].

PubMed

Kristufkova, Z; Blaskovicova, H

2000-01-01

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) represent the most frequent cause of morbidity. Their epidemic outbreaks become a severe problem not only in healthcare, but also in economical and social spheres. Presentation of epidemiological and virologic characteristics of the 1999-2000 influenza season in Slovakia; their comparison with the same Influenza season in other European countries, as well as with the situation during the preceding season in Slovakia. The epidemiological analysis of Influenza and influenza-like diseases is based on the duty of attending physicians to report the number of new cases, complications, cases of working inability due to disease, and death cases. The reports are required on a compulsory weekly basis, and the reported cases are structured into 4 age groups. The laboratory diagnosis is based on virus isolation, rapid detection of antigen and serological tests. The outbreak of Influenza spread through Slovakia during the period between the 4th and 8th calendar weeks with its peak appearing during the 6th calendar week, when its incidence reached 2821 cases/100,000. The age group mostly afflicted by morbidity during the entire investigated season were children at the age of 0-5, while during the outbreak, the highest morbidity was reported among school children at the age of 6-14. The epidemic broke out on the entire territory of the Slovak Republic at the same time. 5 death cases were reported. Complicated cases were reported in 6.1% of the diseased. 34.1% of the group at the age from 15 to 59 were reported to be unable to work due to disease. 25 isolates of influenza virus were obtained from 505 nasopharyngeal swabs. 2 strains were found to be atigenetically similar to the vaccine strain A(H3N2)/Sydney 5/97 and A(H3N2)/Moscow 10/99. Regarding ARI aetiology, influenza viruses were serologically confirmed in 1356 samples; out of which type A(H3N2) was confirmed in 930 cases, A(H1N1) in 143 cases, type B in 283 cases; adenoviruses were detected in 467 samples; RS viruses in 779 samples; and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 859 samples. Mixed infection caused by two viruses was diagnosed in 27 cases. The outbreak which hit Slovakia in the 1999/2000 season was a part of the European epidemic wave. As to its extent, it was a mild epidemic outbreak. It was significantly low as to its incidence among children. During autumn months, ARI aetiology was dominated by M. pneumoniae, viruses of type A(H3N2) prevailed. The identification of strains isolated during the investigated season confirmed that strains of influenza virus similar to strain A(H3N2)/Sydney 5/97 which is contained within the vaccine which has been assessed for this season, circulated in Slovakia during the past two subsequent seasons. Similar experience was reported from the majority of European countries involved in the international WHO programme of influenza Surveillance. These facts explain the mild extent of the investigated epidemic outbreak. (Tab. 5, Fig. 7, Ref. 8.)

[The incidence of tularemia in Slovakia in 1997-2008].

PubMed

Gurycová, D; Tináková, K; Výrosteková, V; Gacíková, E

2010-02-01

Analysis of epidemiological trends in tularemia in the Slovak Republic (SR) over the last 12 years and changes in the epidemiology of this infection. The sources of data for the epidemiological analysis are the SR annual tularemia surveillance report, records of epidemiological investigation of reported cases and knowledge from long-term surveillance of natural foci. The incidence of tularemia was analyzed based on the standard epidemiological indicators and in relation to infection sources and transmission routes. In 1997-2008, a total of 453 tularemia cases were reported from all administrative regions in Slovakia, the mean incidence was 0.71/10(5) population and 95.4% of cases were reported in the West, with the predominance of cases in the Nitra region where the mean incidence was 4/10(5) population. In the outbreak of 2002, the incidence of tularemia was as high as 18 cases/10(5) population. Tularemia cases were reported in all age groups and more than half of the patients were aged between 30 to 59 years. Tularemia cases were 1.9 times more frequent in males than in females. The seasonal trend peaked in summer, month of July. In a greater proportion of cases, 58.5%, the source of infection was other than brown hares, 16.3%, which correlates well with the decrease in the hare tularemia foci in the study period. The most frequent route of transmission was work exposure to contaminated animal feed and bedding and in an dusty environment with increased occurrence of small rodents. The proportion of tick-borne and biting insect-borne cases was 12.8% and 12.4% of cases were not elucidated epidemiologically. Clinical manifestations were ulceroglandular and glandular tularemia in 55.6%, pulmonary tularemia in 21.2 %, oroglandular tularaemia in 18.8% and other forms of tularaemia in 4.4%. The changes in the distribution of sources of infection and routes of transmission resulted in changed epidemiological characteristics and clinical forms of tularemia in Slovakia. The importance of tularemia surveillance is underlined.

Thermal expansion of ceramic samples containing natural zeolite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunitrová, Ivana; Trník, Anton

2017-07-01

In this study the thermal expansion of ceramic samples made from natural zeolite is investigated. Samples are prepared from the two most commonly used materials in ceramic industry (kaolin and illite). The first material is Sedlec kaolin from Czech Republic, which contains more than 90 mass% of mineral kaolinite. The second one is an illitic clay from Tokaj area in Hungary, which contains about 80 mass% of mineral illite. Varying amount of the clay (0 % - 50 %) by a natural zeolite from Nižný Hrabovec (Slovak Republic), containing clinoptilolite as major mineral phase is replaced. The measurements are performed on cylindrical samples with a diameter 14 mm and a length about 35 mm by a horizontal push - rod dilatometer. Samples made from pure kaolin, illite and zeolite are also subjected to this analysis. The temperature regime consists from linear heating rate of 5 °C/min from 30 °C to 1100 °C. The results show that the relative shrinkage of ceramic samples increases with amount of zeolite in samples.

Geology Fulbrights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulbright grants in geology for 1988-89 remain open. Specific opportunities are available in Egypt, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman, Poland, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Turkey, U.S.S.R., West Bank, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. Other countries are also open to applications in any discipline, and geology is among their preferred fields.The grants are available until awarded and are open only to U.S. citizens. In Central and South America and French-speaking Africa, knowledge of host-country language is required. For more information, contact the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), 11 Dupont Circle N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036; tel. 202-939-5401.

Modified clinoptilolite in the removal of iron and manganese from water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barloková, D.; Ilavský, J.

2012-11-01

It is necessary to treat water intended for drinking purposes in many cases to meet the requirements of the Regulation of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 496/2010 on Drinking Water. There is a tendency to look for technology with new, more efficient and cost-effective materials and technologies. The goal of this study is to compare activated natural zeolite known as clinoptilolite (rich deposits of clinoptilolite were found in the region of East Slovakia Region in the 1980s) with the imported Greensand and Cullsorb materials in the removal of iron and manganese from water. The results obtained from experiments carried out at WTP Kúty prove that Klinopur-Mn is suitable for the removal of iron and manganese from water and is comparable with the imported materials.

We are the opposite of you! Mirroring of national, regional and ethnic stereotypes.

PubMed

Hřebíčková, Martina; Graf, Sylvie; Tegdes, Tamás; Brezina, Ivan

2017-01-01

The content of stereotypes can be shaped by multiple mechanisms, one of them possibly being the "mirroring effect." Mirroring describes a phenomenon whereby people rate their ingroup characteristics as opposite to characteristics typical of a relevant outgroup. The aim of our study was to explore mirroring in three intergroup contexts-in national, regional, and ethnic stereotypes. In Study 1, 2,241 participants rated national ingroup stereotype and outgroup stereotypes of five Central European countries. In Study 2, 741 Czech participants rated regional ingroup and outgroup stereotypes of people living in two distinct parts of the Czech Republic. In Study 3, 463 majority and Hungarian minority participants in Slovakia rated ethnic ingroup and outgroup stereotypes. The results showed a clear presence of mirroring in all three contexts.

First report and molecular identification of Opisthorchis viverrini infection in human communities from Lower Myanmar.

PubMed

Aung, Win Pa Pa; Htoon, Thi Thi; Tin, Htay Htay; Thinn, Kyi Kyi; Sanpool, Oranuch; Jongthawin, Jurairat; Sadaow, Lakkhana; Phosuk, Issarapong; Rodpai, Rutchanee; Intapan, Pewpan M; Maleewong, Wanchai

2017-01-01

Opisthorchis viverrini is endemic in the South East Asian region, especially in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Vietnam and Thailand, but there have been no previous records from Myanmar. During stool surveys of rural populations in three regions of Lower Myanmar, Opisthorchis-like eggs were found in 34 out of 364 (9.3%) participants by stool microscopy after using the modified formalin-ether concentration technique. DNA was extracted from these positive stool samples and a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and then sequenced. DNA sequences, successfully obtained from 18 of 34 positive samples (Bago Region, n = 13; Mon State, n = 3; Yangon Region, n = 2), confirmed that the eggs were of O. viverrini. Sequences showed 99.7% identity with O. viverrini mitochondrial cox1 (GenBank accession no. JF739555) but 95%, 88.7%, 82.6% and 81.4% identities with those of Opisthorchis lobatus from Lao People's Democratic Republic (GenBank accession nos. HQ328539-HQ328541), Metorchis orientalis from China (KT239342), Clonorchis sinensis from China (JF729303) and Opisthorchis felineus from Russia (EU921260), respectively. When alignement with other Opisthorchiidae trematodes, 81% similarity with Metorchis bilis from Czech Republic (GenBank accession nos. KT740966, KT740969, KT740970) and Slovakia (GenBank accession nos. KT740971-KT740973), 84.6% similarity with Metorchis xanthosomus from Czech Republic (GenBank accession no. KT740974), 78.6% similarity with M. xanthosomus from Poland (GenBank accession no. KT740968) and 82.2% similarity with Euamphimerus pancreaticus from Czech Republic (GenBank accession no. KT740975) were revealed. This study demonstrated, for the first time, O. viverrini from rural people in Myanmar using molecular methods and is an urgent call for surveillance and control activities against opisthorchiasis in Myanmar.

[Notified cases of imported transmisssible infections in the Czech Republic].

PubMed

Dlhý, J; Benes, C

2007-02-01

Based on analysis of epidemiological characteristics, to determine trends in the incidence of imported transmissible diseases in the Czech Republic and to draw attention to the epidemiological significance of international tourism and migration. In cooperation with the National Reference Centre for Epidemiological Data Analysis, National Institute of Public Health Prague, the nationwide Epidat information system databases from 1993 to 2005 were analyzed using software Epi Info version 6.04d. Between 1993 and 2005, altogether 12,091 cases of transmissible diseases were imported into the Czech Republic from 168 countries in the world. The notified annual incidence of imported infections ranges from 206 to 1,714 cases. The highest percentage of cases was imported by Czech tourists (50.7 %) while 40 % of the notified cases were imported into the Czech Republic by foreigners. The period 1998-2004 for which the data on Czech tourism to other countries are available is characterized by increase in the absolute number of imported cases while the relative incidence of imported cases per 100,000 population traveling to other countries shows a downward trend. The highest numbers of cases were imported from Viet Nam (1,258 cases), Slovakia (1,155 cases) and India (786 cases). When considering Czech tourism to other countries for which the corresponding data are available, the highest rates of imported diseases in 1998-2004 were linked to the travels to Tunisia (1.18 imported cases per 1,000 tours), Bulgaria (0.69 per 1,000 tours) and Turkey (0.65 per 1,000 tours). The leading diagnosis of imported cases was salmonellosis (22%), followed by campylobacteriosis (10%) and trichuriasis (8%). Analysis of the Epidat information system databases for reporting transmissible diseases enables assessment of trends in imported infections in the Czech Republic as a point of departure for estimation of health risk from tourism and migration.

Impact of Infrastructure on Mortality in Marginalised and Segregated Communities in the Slovak Republic.

PubMed

Kováč, Viliam; Gavurová, Beáta

2017-12-01

Poverty and social exclusion is measured through different criteria and one of them is the health sector. The relationship between Roma population and the health sector is on the edge of researchers' interest in the Slovak Republic. The purpose of this paper is a quantification of the regional disparities in the development of mortality which is causally linked with selected infrastructural determinants - namely access to water and sewerage. These determinants differently participate in the structure of mortality in marginalised and segregated communities and they deepen regional disparities in health. It is a spatial analysis of the districts of the Slovak Republic. The data from the Atlas of Roma communities in Slovakia 2013 is applied. Through the multiple linear regression model the relationship between mortality of the Roma population and water and sewerage availability in the Roma settlements is examined. Similarity between the districts is measured by the Euclidean metric system. The most appropriate district for representing the Slovak Republic average is the Dunajská Streda district in a field of arithmetic mean and the Veľký Krtíš district in a field of median value. The outermost district is represented by the Košice-okolie district, conversely, the Trnava district is the closest to the rest of the Slovak Republic. The highest statistically significant impacts on mortality are explored in public water supply extension plan and public sewerage supply extension plan. It seems that water play a greater role in determining health of Roma population. The highest number of inhabitants with supplied public water and public sewerage is kept by the Kežmarok district, the Košice district, and the Spišská Nová Ves district. Our results can be beneficial for health decision making, since in the Strategic Framework for Health of the Slovak Republic metrics for measuring and evaluating health aspects in Roma communities absent and that prevents them to be correlated with the planned interventions. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2017.

[Results of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia treatment in the Slovak Republic in the years from 1993 to 2012].

PubMed

Korbeľ, M; Šufliarsky, J; Danihel, Ľ; Vojtaššák, J; Nižňanská, Z

2016-01-01

Analysis and epidemiology of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia treatment in the Slovak Republic in the years 1993-2012. Retrospective epidemiological national study. Centre for gestational trophoblastic disease Ministry of Health the Slovak Republic, Bratislava. Retrospective analysis results of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia treatment according to prognostic scoring and staging system FIGO/WHO in Centre for gestational trophoblastic disease Ministry of Health the Slovak Republic Bratislava in the years 1993-2012. The treatment of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) in the Czech and Slovak Republics started in 1955 and lasted till 1993. After the split of the former Czechoslovakia the Centre for gestational trophoblastic disease was created in Slovakia. 75 patients were treated in this Centre in the years 1993-2012. According to prognostic scoring and staging system FIGO/WHO 56 (75%) patients had low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and 19 (25%) of patients had high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. There were 41 patients (55%), 2 (3%), 24 (32%) and 8 (11%) in stage I., II., III. and IV. respectively. Total curability rate was 94.7% and mortality rate was 5.3%. Curability rate 100% was achieved in stage I & II and all placental site trophoblastic tumours (PSTT), 98.3% in stage III and 50% stage IV. In the years 1993-2012 the incidence of choriocarcinoma was one in 76 273 pregnancies and one in 53 203 deliveries. The incidence of other gestational trophoblastic neoplasia in the same years was for PSTT one in 533 753 pregnancies and one in 372 422 deliveries, invasive mole one in 145 611 pregnancies and one in 101 569 deliveries, and persistent GTN one in 40 043 pregnancies and one in 27 932 deliveries. 225-241 patients were treated in the same period of time in the Czech Republic with curability rate 98.2-98. 3%. Early detection and treatment in the centre for trophoblastic disease are crucial points in the manage-ment of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, because the effective therapy of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with high curability rate is available.

Tour around the globe: The case of invasive tapeworm Atractolytocestus huronensis (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), a parasite of common carp.

PubMed

Bazsalovicsová, Eva; Králová-Hromadová, Ivica; Xi, Bing-Wen; Štefka, Jan

2018-02-24

The monozoic tapeworm Atractolytocestus huronensis Anthony, 1958 (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), an intestinal parasite of the common carp, is characterized by its invasive character and potential to colonize new territories. It was initially described from North America and has also been found in several European countries. The most recent findings of A. huronensis originated from China and South Africa; however, no data on genetic relationships of these populations were available. The current study provides the first molecular characterisation of A. huronensis from South Africa and China using a partial sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and a complete ribosomal ITS2 spacer. Ribosomal and mitochondrial data were applied for phylogenetic analyses in order to assess the genetic interrelationships among global A. huronensis populations. Divergent intragenomic copies of ribosomal ITS2 were detected in all analysed specimens; the structure and frequency of the ITS2 variants of tapeworms from China and South Africa corresponded with the data on ITS2 paralogues observed previously in A. huronensis from Slovakia, the United States and the United Kingdom. The phylogenetic analysis of cox1 indicated that A. huronensis exist in two slightly differentiated clusters; one cluster was supported by all phylogenetic approaches (NJ, ML, BI) and was represented by samples from China, the USA and the UK. A second cluster was represented by tapeworms from continental Europe (Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Croatia) and South Africa. Haplotype network analysis revealed that the highest population diversity occurs in China. The results provide useful pilot information about the interrelationships of A. huronensis on four continents and indicate that China, or the eastern Palaearctic, served as the original source population for the global expansion of this invasive tapeworm. Data on the origin and distribution of the common carp, the only specific host of A. huronensis, are also discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elemental and mineral inventory of tailing impoundments near Pezinok, Slovakia and possible courses of action for their remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majzlan, Juraj; Brecht, Björn; Lalinská, Bronislava; Chovan, Martin; Moravanský, Daniel; Uhlík, Peter

2010-01-01

An effective remediation strategy for a polluted site should take the absolute amount of the pollutant(s) into account. Here, we present an elemental budget for As, Sb and Fe in two tailing impoundments of the former Sb-Au deposit near Pezinok, Slovakia. The two impoundments contain 5,740×103 kg As, 6,360×103 kg Sb and 50,105×103 kg Fe. An estimated total Au content in the impoundments is 132 kg. The most abundant minerals in the tailings are quartz, illite, and chlorite. The content of carbonates in the tailings is 3.5-10.5 wt% calcite equivalent and we estimate that the carbonates are sufficiently abundant to buffer the pH at circumneutral values, up to the point when all pyrite decomposes. The possible courses of action are i) do nothing, ii) build an active barrier to capture the released As and Sb, iii) isolate the impoundments from rain and ground water and iv) use the impoundments as a source of Sb and redeposit the waste in a safer form. The simplest approach is to do nothing, which seems to be the most likely course of events, given the current economic, political and societal state of the Slovak Republic. Although this action costs nothing in the short term, it may cause significant damage to the environment, especially to the alluvial sediments and associated water resources in the long term.

Fractality Evidence and Long-Range Dependence on Capital Markets: a Hurst Exponent Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oprean, Camelia; Tănăsescu, Cristina

2014-07-01

Since the existence of market memory could implicate the rejection of the efficient market hypothesis, the aim of this paper is to find any evidence that selected emergent capital markets (eight European and BRIC markets, namely Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Russia, India and China) evince long-range dependence or the random walk hypothesis. In this paper, the Hurst exponent as calculated by R/S fractal analysis and Detrended Fluctuation Analysis is our measure of long-range dependence in the series. The results reinforce our previous findings and suggest that if stock returns present long-range dependence, the random walk hypothesis is not valid anymore and neither is the market efficiency hypothesis.

West Nile Virus Lineage 2 Associated with Human Case in Republic of Serbia.

PubMed

Jovanović Galović, Aleksandra; Weyer, Jacqueline; Jansen van Vuren, Petrus; Paweska, Janusz T; Radovanov, Jelena; Kovačević, Gordana; Hrnjaković Cvjetković, Ivana; Petrović, Vladimir; Blumberg, Lucille H; Milošević, Vesna

2017-11-01

A suspicion on West Nile virus (WNV) in Serbia was first reported in 1972 by a seroprevalence study, after which no data were available for four decades. We report full sequence of the isolate obtained for the first time from a human sample in Serbia. The closest clustering was obtained with lineage 2 WNV identified in Greece in 2010. Since WNV lineage 2 emerged in Europe in 2004, a cocirculation of lineages 1 and 2-as observed in Hungary and Italy-cannot be excluded. The reinforcement of surveillance will be required to investigate the possible cocirculation of the two lineages and the burden of WNV in the local population.

The SEVAN Worldwide network of particle detectors: 10 years of operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilingarian, A.; Babayan, V.; Karapetyan, T.; Mailyan, B.; Sargsyan, B.; Zazyan, M.

2018-05-01

The Space Environment Viewing and Analysis Network (SEVAN) aims to improve the fundamental research on particle acceleration in the vicinity of the sun, on space weather effects and on high-energy physics in the atmosphere and lightning initiation. This new type of a particle detector setup simultaneously measures fluxes of most species of secondary cosmic rays, thus being a powerful integrated device for exploration of solar modulation effects and electron acceleration in the thunderstorm atmosphere. The SEVAN modules are operating at the Aragats Space Environmental Center (ASEC) in Armenia, in Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic (from 2017) and in India. In this paper, we present the most interesting results of the SEVAN network operation during the last decade. We present this review on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Heliophysical Year in 2007.

Observation of the Earth Liquid Core Resonance by Extensometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bán, Dóra; Mentes, Gyula; Kis, Márta; Koppán, András

2018-05-01

We performed Earth tidal measurements by quartz tube extensometers of the same type at several observatories (Budapest, Pécs, Sopronbánfalva in Hungary and Vyhne in Slovakia). In this paper, the first attempts to reveal the effect of the Free Core Nutation (FCN) from strain measurements are described. The effect of the FCN on the P1, K1, Ψ1 and Φ1 tidal waves were studied on the basis of tidal results obtained in four observatories. Effectiveness of the correction of tidal data for temperature, barometric pressure and ocean load was also investigated. The obtained K1/O1 ratios are close to the theoretical values with exception of the Pécs station. We found a discrepancy between the observed and theoretical P1/O1 values for all stations with exception of the Budapest station. It was found that the difference between the measured and theoretical Ψ1/O1 and Φ1/O1 ratios was very large independently of correction of the strain data. These discrepancies need further investigations. According to our results, fluid core resonance effects can also be detected by our quartz tube extensometers but correction of strain data for local effects is necessary.

Windstorm of the eighteenth century in the Czech Lands: course, extent, impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brázdil, Rudolf; Szabó, Péter; Dobrovolný, Petr; Řezníčková, Ladislava; Kotyza, Oldřich; Suchánková, Silvie; Valášek, Hubert

2017-07-01

This paper addresses the course, extent, and impacts of a windstorm that occurred on 20-21 December 1740, in the Czech Lands. The analysis is based on documentary data included in chronicles, "books of memory", memoirs, damage reports, urbaria, and cadastral records, as well as secondary sources. The windstorm started with a thunderstorm in the afternoon of 20 December, continued during the night, and was followed by a flood. It also appeared in documentary data from Bavaria, Thuringia, Saxony, Silesia, Slovakia, and Hungary. The event may be related to a cyclone north-west of the Czech territory moving to the east with an intense western flow over central Europe. The storm did great material damage to houses, farm buildings, churches, and forests and is recorded in various documentary sources for 85 places in the Czech Lands. The windstorm had a significant influence on the development of local plantation forestry (discussed in greater detail). Judging by territorial extent and damage done, this windstorm, compared to other similar events, has been classified as "the windstorm of the eighteenth century" in the Czech Lands. This contribution demonstrates the potential of documentary evidence for the elucidation of heavy windstorms in the pre-instrumental period in Europe.

5 most consumpted opioid analgesics in Slovakia in the year 2006--comparison to five other countries (Finland, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Australia).

PubMed

Hudec, R; Bozekova, L; Foltan, V; Tisonova, J; Kriska, M

2009-01-01

Opioid analgesics are drugs of choice in the treatment of moderate and severe malignant or noncancer pain. Consumption data helps us to evaluate the status of country's public health. We analysed the consumption of opioid analgesics from ATC class N02A in Slovakia in the year 2006 and compared it with five other countries -- Finland, Norway, Denmark, Spain and Australia. We then calculated drugs that accounted for 90% of the total volume of DDDs in the year 2006. Slovakia showed a dominance of tramadol consumption that constituted three quarters of the total group consumption. Tramadol is the commonest consumed opioid analgesic in all observed countries (in Norway it constituted only 35% of total group consumption, whereas in Slovakia it was 72%). Opioid consumption in Slovakia is increasing, but comparison with the Nordic countries, Spain and Australia showed a significantly lower consumption. Exception is tramadol with the highest consumption in Slovakia. Observed trends in consumption indicate a well known accent of the Nordic countries on treatment of pain. Opiod consumption in Slovakia continues to stay low (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 10). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Mechanism of cross-sectoral coordination between nature protection and forestry in the Natura 2000 formulation process in Slovakia.

PubMed

Sarvašová, Zuzana; Sálka, Jaroslav; Dobšinská, Zuzana

2013-09-01

Nature protection as a policy sector is not isolated and is directly or indirectly influenced by many other sectors (e.g. forestry, water management, rural development, energy, etc.). These policy sectors are neither completely segmented nor unaffected by the decisions taken in other policy sectors. Policy formulation in nature protection is therefore also influenced by different sectors. For that reason it is inevitable to stress the need for inter-sectoral coordination to assure their policy coherence. The aim of this article is to describe the mechanism and modes of cross-sectoral coordination and to analyze the relevant actors and their interaction, using the case of the Natura 2000 formulation process in Slovakia. The European Union (EU) set up an ecological network of special protected areas, known as Natura 2000 to ensure biodiversity by conserving natural habitats and wild fauna and flora in the territory of the Member States. An optimized nature protection must therefore carefully consider existing limits and crossdisciplinary relationships at the EU, national and regional levels. The relations between forestry and biodiversity protection are analyzed using the advocacy coalition framework (ACF). The ACF is used for analyzing how two coalitions, in this case ecological and forest owners' coalitions, advocate or pursue their beliefs from the nature protection and forestry policy field. The whole process is illustrated at the regional scale on the case study of Natura 2000 sites formulation in the Slovak Republic. For better reliability and validity of research, a combination of various empiric research methods was used, supported by existing theories. So called triangulation of sociological research or triangulation of methods consists of mutual results testing of individual methodological steps through identifying corresponding political-science theories, assessing their formal points using primary and secondary document analysis and assessing their informal points with standardized interviews with experts. We can conclude that adequate cross-sectoral coordination represented by new modes is missing and the formulation of the Natura 2000 network in Slovakia shows deficits resulting from different policy beliefs concerning nature protection and forestry coalition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A higher-level classification of the Pannonian and western Pontic steppe grasslands (Central and Eastern Europe).

PubMed

Willner, Wolfgang; Kuzemko, Anna; Dengler, Jürgen; Chytrý, Milan; Bauer, Norbert; Becker, Thomas; Biţă-Nicolae, Claudia; Botta-Dukát, Zoltán; Čarni, Andraž; Csiky, János; Igić, Ruzica; Kącki, Zygmunt; Korotchenko, Iryna; Kropf, Matthias; Krstivojević-Ćuk, Mirjana; Krstonošić, Daniel; Rédei, Tamás; Ruprecht, Eszter; Schratt-Ehrendorfer, Luise; Semenishchenkov, Yuri; Stančić, Zvjezdana; Vashenyak, Yulia; Vynokurov, Denys; Janišová, Monika

2017-01-01

What are the main floristic patterns in the Pannonian and western Pontic steppe grasslands? What are the diagnostic species of the major subdivisions of the class Festuco-Brometea (temperate Euro-Siberian dry and semi-dry grasslands)? Carpathian Basin (E Austria, SE Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, N Croatia and N Serbia), Ukraine, S Poland and the Bryansk region of W Russia. We applied a geographically stratified resampling to a large set of relevés containing at least one indicator species of steppe grasslands. The resulting data set of 17 993 relevés was classified using the TWINSPAN algorithm. We identified groups of clusters that corresponded to the class Festuco-Brometea . After excluding relevés not belonging to our target class, we applied a consensus of three fidelity measures, also taking into account external knowledge, to establish the diagnostic species of the orders of the class. The original TWINSPAN divisions were revised on the basis of these diagnostic species. The TWINSPAN classification revealed soil moisture as the most important environmental factor. Eight out of 16 TWINSPAN groups corresponded to Festuco-Brometea . A total of 80, 32 and 58 species were accepted as diagnostic for the orders Brometalia erecti , Festucetalia valesiacae and Stipo-Festucetalia pallentis , respectively. In the further subdivision of the orders, soil conditions, geographic distribution and altitude could be identified as factors driving the major floristic patterns. We propose the following classification of the Festuco-Brometea in our study area: (1) Brometalia erecti (semi-dry grasslands) with Scabioso ochroleucae-Poion angustifoliae (steppe meadows of the forest zone of E Europe) and Cirsio-Brachypodion pinnati (meadow steppes on deep soils in the forest-steppe zone of E Central and E Europe); (2) Festucetalia valesiacae (grass steppes) with Festucion valesiacae (grass steppes on less developed soils in the forest-steppe zone of E Central and E Europe) and Stipion lessingianae (grass steppes in the steppe zone); (3) Stipo-Festucetalia pallentis (rocky steppes) with Asplenio septentrionalis-Festucion pallentis (rocky steppes on siliceous and intermediate soils), Bromo-Festucion pallentis (thermophilous rocky steppes on calcareous soils), Diantho-Seslerion (dealpine Sesleria caerulea grasslands of the Western Carpathians) and Seslerion rigidae (dealpine Sesleria rigida grasslands of the Romanian Carpathians).

Comparison of water absorption methods: testing the water absorption of recently quarried and weathered porous limestone on site and under laboratory conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozgonyi-Boissinot, Nikoletta; Agárdi, Tamás; Karolina Cebula, Ágnes; Török, Ákos

2017-04-01

The water absorption of weathering sensitive stones is a critical parameter that influences durability. The current paper compares different methods of water absorption tests by using on site and laboratory tests. The aims of the tests were to assess the water absorption of un-weathered quarry stones and various weathering forms occurring on porous limestone monuments. For the tests a Miocene porous limestone was used that occurs in Central and Western Hungary and especially near and in Budapest. Besides the Hungarian occurrences the same or very similar porous limestones are found in Austria, Slovakia and in the Czech Republic. Several quarries were operating in these countries. Due to the high workability the stone have been intensively used as construction material from the Roman period onward. The most prominent monuments made of this stone were built in Vienna and in Budapest during the 18th -19th century and in the early 20th century. The high porosity and the micro-fabric of the stone make it prone to frost- and salt weathering. Three different limestone types were tested representing coarse-, medium- and fine grained lithologies. The test methods included Rilem tube (Karsten tube) tests and capillary water absorption tests. The latter methodology has been described in detail in EN 1925:2000. The test results of on-site tests of weathered porous limestone clearly show that the water absorption of dissolved limestone surfaces and crumbling or micro-cracked limestone is similar. The water absorption curves have similar inclinations marking high amount of absorbed water. To the contrary, the white weathering crusts covered stone blocks and black crusts have significantly lower water absorptions and many of these crusts are considered as very tight almost impermeable surfaces. Capillary water absorption tests in the laboratory allowed the determination of maximum water absorption of quarried porous limestone. Specimens were placed in 3 mm of water column and the absorbed amount of water was detected. The obtained 29-30m% water absorption values compared to the 30-35m% of the total porosity of the stone, clearly suggest that the pores can be saturated with water under standard barometric pressure and therefore the tested porous Miocene limestones are very prone to salt attack.

Lithospheric structure beneath Central Europe from the POLONAISE'97, CELEBRATION 2000, ALP 2002, and SUDETES 2003 seismic refraction experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guterch, A.; Grad, M.; Keller, G. R.

2005-12-01

Beginning in 1997, Central Europe between the Baltic and Adriatic Seas, has been covered by an unprecedented network of seismic refraction experiments POLONAISE'97, CELEBRATION 2000, ALP 2002, and SUDETES 2003, have only been possible due to a massive international consortium consisted of more than 30 institutions from 16 countries in Europe and North America. The majority of recording instruments was provided by the IRIS/PASSCAL Instrument Center and the University of Texas at El Paso (USA), and several other countries also provided instrumentation. Total length of seismic profiles in all experiments is about 20,000 km. The main results of these experiments are: 1) the delineation of the deep structure of the southwestern margin of the East European Craton (southern Baltica) and its relationship to younger terranes; delineation of the major terranes and crustal blocks in the Trans European Suture Zone; determination of the structural framework of the Pannonian basin; elucidation of the deep structure and evolution of the Western Carpathian Mountains and Eastern Alps; determination of the structural relationships between the structural elements of the Bohemian massif and adjacent features; construction of 3-D models of the lithospheric structure; and evaluation and develop geodynamic models for the tectonic evolution of the region. Experiment Working Groups Members: K. Aric, M. Behm, E. Brueckl, W. Chwatal, H. Grassl, S. Hock, V. Hoeck, F. Kohlbeck, E.-M. Rumpfhuber, Ch. Schmid, R. Schmoller, C. Tomek, Ch. Ullrich, F.Weber (Austria), A.A. Belinsky (Belarus), I. Asudeh, R. Clowes, Z. Hajnal (Canada), F. Sumanova (Croatia), M. Broz , P. Hrubcova, M. Korn, O. Karousova, J. Malek, A. Spicak (Czech Republic), S.L. Jensen, P. Joergensen, H. Thybo (Denmark), K. Komminaho, U. Luosto, T. Tiira, J. Yliniemi (Finland), F. Bleibinhaus, R. Brinkmann, B. Forkmann, H. Gebrande, H. Geissler, A. Hemmann, G. Jentzsch, D. Kracke, A. Schulze, K. Schuster (Germany), T. Bodoky, T. Fancik, E. Hegedas, K. Posgay, E. Takacs (Hungary), J. Jacyna, L. Korabliova, G. Motuza, V. Nasedkin (Lithuania), W. Czuba, E. Gaczynski, M. Grad, A. Guterch, T. Janik, M. Majdanski, M. Malinowski, P. Sroda, M. Wilde-Piorko, (Poland), S.L. Kostiuchenko, A.F. Morozov (Russia), J. Vozar (Slovakia), A. Gosar (Slovenia), O. Selvi (Turkey), S. Acevedo, M. Averill, M. Fort, R. Greschke, S.Harder, G. Kaip, G.R. Keller, K.C. Miller, C.M. Snelson (USA)

Cost of severe hypoglycaemia in nine European countries.

PubMed

Jakubczyk, Michał; Lipka, Izabela; Pawęska, Justyna; Niewada, Maciej; Rdzanek, Elżbieta; Zaletel, Jelka; Ramírez de Arellano, Antonio; Doležal, Tomáš; Chekorova Mitreva, Biljana; Nagy, Bence; Petrova, Guenka; Šarić, Tereza; Yfantopoulos, John; Czech, Marcin

2016-10-01

Complications contribute largely to the economic gravity of diabetes mellitus (DM). How they arise and are treated differs substantially between countries. This paper assesses the total annual, direct, and indirect cost of severe hypoglycemia events (SHEs) in nine European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia/the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MK), Poland, Slovenia, and Spain. Data was collected on epidemiology, treatment structure, SHE-driven resource consumption, and unit costs. Two systematic reviews-on the SHE rates and the resources used for treatment-and data on the days-of-work lost due to SHE along with salaries and employment rates were used. The total SHE cost in each country was calculated and how the differences are driven by individual parameters was analysed. The annual costs of SHEs varied in absolute terms from €379,951.25 in MK up to €58,429,684.40 in Spain, or-when expressed per one drug-treated DM patient-from €5.47 in Bulgaria up to €17.74 in Spain. Indirect cost constituted between 6.01% (MK) and 26.49% (Hungary) of the total cost. The differences between countries are driven mostly by the cost of treating a single event, and this is related to general differences in prices. The main limitation is the lack of good quality data in some parts, and the necessity to use mean-value imputations, experts' opinions, etc. Additionally, we only considered DM treatment as the SHE driver, while other elements, e.g. style of living, may contribute substantially. A common framework can be applied to estimate the economic burden of SHE in various countries, allowing one to identify the drivers of differences in cost. Treating DM is complex, and so no resolute conclusions ought to be drawn as to whether SHE management is better in one country than another.

Education Inequality in Slovakia: The Effects of Early Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zelmanova, Olga; Korsnakova, Paulina; Tramonte, Lucia; Willms, J. Douglas

2006-01-01

Like many other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, children in Slovakia are allocated to different types of schools at an early age based upon their perceived aptitude. Part of the selection process includes an attempt to identify those children who are particularly academic-oriented. Primary and secondary education in Slovakia is divided…

Stray cats are more frequently infected with zoonotic protists than pet cats.

PubMed

Kvac, Martin; Hofmannova, Lada; Ortega, Ynes; Holubova, Nikola; Horcickova, Michaela; Kicia, Marta; Hlaskova, Lenka; Kvetonova, Dana; Sak, Bohumil; McEvoy, John

2017-12-06

Faecal samples were collected from cats kept as pets (n = 120) and stray cats (n = 135) in Central Europe (Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia intestinalis (Kunstler, 1882), Encephalitozoon spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi Desportes, Le Charpentier, Galian, Bernard, Cochand-Priollet, Lavergne, Ravisse et Modigliani, 1985 by PCR analysis of the small-subunit of rRNA (Cryptosporidium spp. and G. intestinalis) and ITS (microsporidia) genes. Sequence analysis of targeted genes revealed the presence of C. felis Iseki, 1979, G. intestinalis assemblage F, E. cuniculi Levaditi, Nicolau et Schoen, 1923 genotype II, and E. bieneusi genotype D. There was no correlation between the occurrence of detected parasites and sex, presence of diarrhoea or drug treatment (drug containing pyrantel and praziquantel). Compared to pet cats (7%), stray cats (30%) were statistically more frequently infected with protist parasites and overall may present a greater risk to human health.

Testing the extended biotic index in Slovakia: consistency, advantages, and limitations versus the saprobic assessment method of water quality.

PubMed

Pennelli, Bruno; Nagel, Karl-Otto; Crivellaro, Giuseppe; Fabiani, Claudio; Vancova, Alexandra; Mancini, Laura

2006-04-01

The European Union Water Framework Directive requires the achievement of environmental objectives for the ecological quality of water bodies. A comparable implementation of the Directive throughout member countries of the European Union is necessary to verify equal protection of surface waters. The Directive specifies that member states determine ecological quality by means of biological indices. To improve comparability of water quality assessment, this research carried out an intercalibration trial between the Slovak Saprobic Index and the Italian protocol of the Extended Biotic Index, as part of a cooperative program between Italy and the Slovak Republic. When assessing streams with no or low pollution, statistics showed similar results for both methods. In contrast, the comparison of indices was not accurate in the case of severely affected waters. Reliable conversion formulas are feasible to transform the Italian Extended Biotic Index into the Slovak Saprobic Index, and not vice versa.

Food waste in Central Europe - challenges and solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

den Boer, Jan; Kobel, Przemysław; Dyjakon, Arkadiusz; Urbańska, Klaudia; Obersteiner, Gudrun; Hrad, Marlies; Schmied, Elisabeth; den Boer, Emilia

2017-11-01

Food waste is an important issue in the global economy. In the EU many activities aimed at this topic are carried out, however in Central Europe is still quite pristine. There is lack of reliable data on food waste quantities in this region, and not many preventive actions are taken. To improve this situation the STREFOWA (Strategies to Reduce and Manage Food Waste in Central Europe) was initiated. It is an international project (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland), founded by the Interreg Central Europe programme, running from July 2016 to June 2019. Its main purpose is to provide solutions to prevent and manage food waste throughout the entire food supply chain. The results of STREFOWA will have positive economical, social and environmental impacts.

Implementing the legal provisions for HIA in Slovakia: an exploration of practitioner perspectives.

PubMed

O'Mullane, Monica

2014-07-01

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an instrument used in many countries across the world to assess and report on negative and positive health impacts of projects, programmes and policies. It was included in the Protection, Support and Development of Public Health Act (355/2007) of the Slovak Republic in 2007, thus legislating for HIA. Due to this novel move to legislate for HIA, exploratory research was conducted in order to inquire into the perceptions of key informants and practitioners of the upcoming enforcement of the HIA part of legislation (to take place from January 2011). This paper presents results from the survey of practitioners in the Slovak Regional Public Health Authorities. A postal questionnaire was administered to the Heads of Environmental Health Departments of the 37 Regional Public Health Authorities. Open-ended questions were contained in the survey. The response rate was 38%. Results show that a number of respondents are uncertain as to how HIA would be implemented in practice, with varying views on the technical and institutional barriers to comprehensive implementation of HIA. Although the public hygiene and sanitation networks in the public health system in Slovakia operate smoothly, the readiness of the public health infrastructure for HIA, which is based broadly on the social model of health, is dubious. Although HIA is contained within legislation, time will tell whether its implementation in practice will be as comprehensive as is hoped. Recommendations for further integration of HIA into the public health system include further training and education, national HIA resource centres and cross-country support. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Europeanization in the "Other" Europe: Writing the Nation into "Europe" Education in Slovakia and Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaels, Deborah L.; Stevick, E. Doyle

2009-01-01

How is the tension between renewed nationalist and European narratives of belonging being unfolded in the curricula, discourse, and practice of civic education in Slovakia and Estonia. As two post-socialist territories that were "reborn" as independent nation-states in the 1990s, Slovakia and Estonia were confronted with pressure to…

[Surveillance of West Nile fever in horses in the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2013].

PubMed

Sedlák, K; Zelená, H; Křivda, V; Šatrán, P

2014-11-01

The West Nile virus (WNV) is an important mosquito-borne flavivirus occurring around the world. Occasionally found in Central Europe, the virus spread massively through whole Hungary between 2008 and 2009. The aim of our study was to determine the recent prevalence of the WNV infection in horses in the Czech Republic. Overall, 2349 serum samples, collected from healthy unvaccinated adult horses in the Czech Republic between 2011 and 2013, were tested. A commercially available competitive ELISA kit (cELISA) was used for this purpose and positive samples were confirmed by virus neutralisation tests using WNV and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Altogether 271 of 2348 samples (11.5%) were positive by cELISA. Confirmatory VNT revealed 16 WNV positive samples, 11 of which had titres from 8 to 1024; VNTs with TBEV were negative. Three samples had antibodies against both viruses and the WNV antibody titres were less than or equal to the TBEV antibody titres. A cross reactivity of flaviviruses might have had an impact on the results, but in samples with similar WNV and TBEV titres, co-infection with both pathogens cannot be ruled out either. VNT antibody titres in two horses were inconclusive (cut-off titre 4). The place of birth and transfers (if any) were checked for each WNV seropositive horse. Five WNV positive/TBEV negative samples (0.2%) came from five administrative regions (South Bohemian, Karlovy Vary, Central Bohemian, South Moravian, and Moravian-Silesian) and the respective animals were never moved to a foreign country. Four of these horses never left the farm. Other six WNV positive/TBEV negative horses were imported to the Czech Republic from North America or Central and West Europe and therefore, it is not possible to tell unambiguously whether their infection is autochthonous or imported. The results of the present study confirm that WNV antibodies occur sporadically in horses in the Czech Republic. WNV was found to circulate in different parts of the Czech Republic and not only in the South of Moravia.

Update on the Risk of Introduction of African Swine Fever by Wild Boar into Disease-Free European Union Countries.

PubMed

Bosch, J; Rodríguez, A; Iglesias, I; Muñoz, M J; Jurado, C; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M; de la Torre, A

2017-10-01

Despite efforts to prevent the appearance and spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the European Union, several Member States are now affected (Lithuania, Poland, Latvia and Estonia). Disease appearance in 2014 was associated with multiple entrances linked to wild boar movement from endemic areas (EFSA Journal, 8, 2015, 1556), but the risk of new introductions remains high (Gallardo et al., Porcine Health Management, 1, and 21) as ASF continues to be active in endemic countries (Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine). Since 2014, the number of ASF notifications has increased substantially, particularly in wild boar (WB), in parallel with slow but constant geographical advance of the disease. This situation suggests a real risk of further disease spread into other Member States, posing a great threat to pig production in the EU. Following the principles of the risk-based veterinary surveillance, this article applies a methodology developed by De la Torre et al. (Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 62, and 272) to assess the relative risk of new introductions of ASF by natural movements of WB according to the current epidemiological situation. This update incorporates the most recent available data and an improved version of the most important risk estimator: an optimized cartographic tool of WB distribution to analyse wild boar suitable habitat. The highest relative risk values were estimated for Slovakia (5) and Romania (5), followed by Finland (4), Czech Republic (3) and Germany (3). Relative risk for Romania and Finland is associated mainly with disease entrance from endemic areas such as the Russian Federation and Ukraine, where the disease is currently spreading; relative risk for Germany and Czech Republic is associated mainly with the potential progress of the disease through the EU, and relative risk for Slovakia is associated with both pathways. WB habitat is the most important risk estimator, whereas WB density is the least significant, suggesting that WB presence is more relevant than density. These results can provide actionable advice for dealing with risk. They can be directly used to inform risk-based national strategies and identify countries that may need to pay greater attention to surveillance or conduct additional evaluations at the subnational level. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Twenty-Five Years of Continuing Professional Development of Teachers in the Post-Communist Era in Slovakia: The Story of Paths Not Taken

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubalíková, Andrea; Kacian, Adrian

2016-01-01

This article analyzes the present status of continuing professional development of teachers (CPD) in Slovakia in the post-communist era. During 25 years of democracy in Slovak society, the system of education has undergone several formal reforms, mainly in the area of legislation. As the analysis demonstrates, CPD in Slovakia still follows the…

First Reports, Morphological, and Molecular Characterization of Longidorus caespiticola and Longidorus poessneckensis (Nematoda: Longidoridae) from Ukraine

PubMed Central

Susulovska, Solomia; Castillo, Pablo; Archidona-Yuste, Antonio

2017-01-01

Seven needle nematode species of the genus Longidorus have been reported in Ukraine. Nematological surveys for needle nematodes were carried out in Ukraine between 2016 and 2017 and two nematode species of Longidorus (L. caespiticola and L. poessneckensis) were collected from natural and anthropogenically altered habitats on the territory of Opillia and Zakarpattia in Ukraine. Nematodes were extracted from 500 cm3 of soil by modified sieving and decanting method. Extracted specimens were processed to glycerol and mounted on permanent slides and subsequently identified morphologically and molecularly. Nematode DNA was extracted from single individuals and PCR assays were conducted as previously described for D2–D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA. Sequence alignments for D2–D3 from L. caespiticola showed 97%–99% similarity to other sequences of L. caespiticola deposited in GenBank from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Russia, Slovenia, and Scotland. Similarly, D2–D3 sequence alignments from L. poessneckensis, showed 99% to other sequences of L. poessneckensis deposited in GenBank from Slovakia and Czech Republic. Morphology, morphometry, and molecular data obtained from these samples were consistent with L. caespiticola and L. poessneckensis identification. To our knowledge, these are the first reports of L. caespiticola and L. poessneckensis in Ukraine, extending the geographical distribution of these species. PMID:29353928

The prevalence of female obesity in the world and in the Slovak Gypsy women.

PubMed

Dolinska, S; Kudlackova, M; Ginter, E

2007-01-01

Paper is focused (1) on the comparison of some parameters (body height, body weight, blood pressure, BMI values) in Gypsy and non-Gypsy women from eastern and western Slovakia; (2) on the comparison of biochemical parameters in the Gypsy minority and majority of western Slovakia. There is not enough of available reliable data on health status of Slovak Gypsy minority. Gypsy and non-Gypsy women (57 and 56 subjects) from the western region of Slovakia (Zlate Klasy, Gbely) as well as Gypsy and non-Gypsy women (393 and 444 subjects) from the eastern region of Slovakia (Presov region) were investigated. Values of body height, body weight, blood pressure and calculated values of BMI (body mass index) were performed. Biochemical parameters of 269 Gypsies and 346 non-Gypsy persons from western Slovakia were measured. The statistically significant cut-off point was p < 0.05. In all age groups, the BMI values of Gypsy women were higher than those of non-Gypsy women. The occurrence of obesity, overweight, and hypertension was higher in the Gypsy population from both eastern and western regions of Slovakia. In the group of Gypsy minority of western Slovakia, the parameters of metabolic syndrome (dyslipidemia--high concentrations of triglycerides, low concentrations of HDL cholesterol, high concentrations of fasting insulin, and high values of insulin resistance) were found to be significantly changed. These findings suggest that the risk of atherogenesis in Gypsy minority has considerably increased and this is caused by unfavourable factors such as an increase in the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, smoking and the deficiency in protective substances leading to dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and diabetes (Fig. 2, Tab. 4, Ref 10). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Unintentional fall-related mortality in the elderly: comparing patterns in two countries with different demographic structure

PubMed Central

Majdan, Marek; Mauritz, Walter

2015-01-01

Objectives Falls are among the major external causes of unintentional injury and injury-related mortality in the elderly. The aim of this study was to compare the patterns of unintentional fall-related mortalities in two countries with different demographic structure: Slovakia and Austria in 2003–2010. Methods A study was conducted using death certificate data, trends of fall-related mortality in the elderly (over 65 years) in Austria and Slovakia were compared. Crude and age-standardised mortality rates were calculated. Rate ratios were used to quantify differences based on age, sex and country. The role of demographic structure and population ageing was considered. Results The annual average crude mortality for Slovakia was 28.82, for Austria 54.19 per 100 000 person-years. Increasing rates were observed towards higher age in both countries. Males had higher mortality than females (1.18 times higher in Austria, 2.4 higher in Slovakia). In ages over 75 years rates were significantly higher in Austria, compared to Slovakia. Injuries to head (in males) and hip (in females) were most commonly the underlying cause of death. The proportion of populations over 65 and over 80 and rate of their increase were higher in Austria than in Slovakia. Conclusions We conclude that higher proportions of the elderly population of Austria could have contributed to the higher fall-related mortality rates compared to Slovakia, especially in females over 80 years. Our study quantified the differences between two countries with different structure of the elderly population and these findings could be used in planning future needs of health and social services and to plan prevention in countries where a rapid increase in age of the population can be foreseen. PMID:26270950

Rickettsia species in fleas collected from small mammals in Slovakia.

PubMed

Špitalská, Eva; Boldiš, Vojtech; Mošanský, Ladislav; Sparagano, Olivier; Stanko, Michal

2015-11-01

Epidemiological and epizootiological studies of Rickettsia felis and other Rickettsia spp. are very important, because their natural cycle has not yet been established completely. In total, 315 fleas (Siphonaptera) of 11 species of Ceratophyllidae, Hystrichopsyllidae and Leptopsyllidae families were tested for the presence of Rickettsia species and Coxiella burnetii with conventional and specific quantitative real-time PCR assays. Fleas were collected from five rodent hosts (Myodes glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus agrarius, Microtus subterraneus, Microtus arvalis) and three shrew species (Sorex araneus, Neomys fodiens, Crocidura suaveolens) captured in Eastern and Southern Slovakia. Overall, Rickettsia spp. was found in 10.8% (34/315) of the tested fleas of Ctenophthalmus agyrtes, Ctenophthalmus solutus, Ctenophthalmus uncinatus and Nosopsyllus fasciatus species. Infected fleas were coming from A. flavicollis, A. agrarius, and M. glareolus captured in Eastern Slovakia. C. burnetii was not found in any fleas. R. felis, Rickettsia helvetica, unidentified Rickettsia, and rickettsial endosymbionts were identified in fleas infesting small mammals in the Košice region, Eastern Slovakia. This study is the first report of R. felis infection in C. solutus male flea collected from A. agrarius in Slovakia.

The Customer Relationship Management in Terms of Business Practice in Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urdziková, Jana; Jakábová, Martina; Saniuk, Sebastian

2012-12-01

The aim of the article is to present the results of the research on focus on the customer in relation to the use of customer relationship management in selected business subjects in Slovakia. The main goal of the research is the mapping of current state to ensure the principle of customer orientation and utilizing of CRM in organizations and industrial enterprises in Slovakia. This is the mapping of the current situation of that problem in practical conditions and determines potential opportunities for improvement.

Imported tropical neuroinfections: practice skills and knowledge among nurses and nursing students.

PubMed

Rajoo, Maheswaari; Sulicova, Andrea; Mroskova, Slavka; Supinova, Maria; Plackova, Anna; Bystra, Martina; Baranova, Lenka; Grezdova, Iveta; Santova, Tatiana; Janakova, Maria; Simova, Zuzana; Cinova, Jana; Cibrikova, Silvia; Decsiova, Zuzana; Lengyelova, Anna; Hlinovska, Jana; Rovna, Silvia; Igazova, Maria; Nadova, Monika; Rakova, Jana; Lehotska, Maria; Moraucikova, Eva; Mizenkova, Ludmila; Novotna, Zuzana; Paukova, Luba; Semjonova, Alexandra; Schlosserova, Alena; Vicanova, Michaela; Balkova, Hilda; Banasova, Vlasta; Horanska, Valeria; Hudakova, Pavlina; Hudakova, Anna; Majernikova, Ludmila; Poliakova, Nikoleta; Suchanova, Renata; Tirpakova, Libusa; Perinova, Nadezda; Vatehova, Drahormira; Komanicky, Dusan; Koudelkova, Vlasta; Capska, Jana; Maskalikova, Tatiana; Hulkova, Vlasta; Treslova, Marie

2013-09-01

Tropical neuroinfections are still cause of substantial mortality in travelers. Therefore, good knowledge of early symptoms is very important for nurses acting as first contact persons. Nurse's practical skills and knowledge of signs and early recognition of tropical neuroinfections, providing first aid and quick action has been studied among graduates of two Tropical Nursing PhD programs (in EU-Countries vs. tropical country) using a standardized questionnaire. Statistical package EPI info was used to determine potential differences between both groups of graduates. Acceptable knowledge on early symptoms and signs of cerebral malaria and meningococcal meningitis in returning travelers was found among 121 graduates of two PhD programs who were included in the study. Of these, 99 questionnaires were filled in Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany and another 22 were filled in Malaysia, as a part of the Tropical Nursing PhD Study Programs. Nursing students and recent graduates in two PhD programs demonstrated acceptable, although not large-scaled, knowledge of early signs and symptoms of tropical neuroinfections.

Experience with The Use of Warm Mix Asphalt Additives in Bitumen Binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cápayová, Silvia; Unčík, Stanislav; Cihlářová, Denisa

2018-03-01

In most European countries, Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) technology is still being used as the standard for the production and processing of bituminous mixtures. However, from the perspective of environmental acceptability, global warming and greenhouse gas production, Slovakia is making an effort to put into practice modern technology, which is characterized by lower energy consumption and reducing negative impacts on the environment. Warm mix asphalt technologies (WMA), which have been verified at the Department of Transportation Engineering laboratory, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Slovak University of Technology (FCE, SUT) can provide the required mixture properties and can be used not only for the construction of new roads, but also for their renovation and reconstruction. The paper was created in cooperation with the Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, which also deals with the addition of additives to asphalt mixtures and binders. It describes a comparison of the impact of some organic and chemical additives on the properties of commonly used bitumen binders in accordance with valid standards and technical regulations.

Aspects of Morality and Law Enforcement in Today's Science in Post-Soviet Countries.

PubMed

Kliestikova, Jana; Kliestik, Tomas; Misankova, Maria; Corejova, Tatiana; Krizanova, Anna

2017-10-20

Many reports independently confirm that even more than a quarter of a century after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the results of research and development in those countries that were under its influence are insufficient in comparison to the rest of the world. Given that human intelligence is not distributed unevenly and that science is a powerful driving force for the future of an economy, there is a hidden problem, which, if it can be resolved, may release great economic potential. The first generation of researchers from Armenia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Slovakia and Ukraine, who successfully completed their education after the political revolution, were surveyed. The survey revealed many similarities with regards to ethics, but that there is mounting evidence that the main cause of the current situation is the state of the local legal systems. The conclusion was drawn that a conceptual change in staffing within the relevant legal systems is required to release potential and stimulate wealth creation.

Case study: Possible differences in phthalates exposure among the Czech, Hungarian, and Slovak populations identified based on the DEMOCOPHES pilot study results.

PubMed

Černá, Milena; Malý, Marek; Rudnai, Peter; Középesy, Szilvia; Náray, Miklós; Halzlová, Katarina; Jajcaj, Michal; Grafnetterová, Anna; Krsková, Andrea; Antošová, Danuše; Forysová, Kateřina; Den Hond, Elly; Schoeters, Greet; Joas, Reinhard; Casteleyn, Ludwine; Joas, Anke; Biot, Pierre; Aerts, Dominique; Angerer, Jürgen; Bloemen, Louis; Castaño, Argelia; Esteban, Marta; Koch, Holger M; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Gutleb, Arno C; Pavloušková, Jana; Vrbík, Karel

2015-08-01

Phthalates and their metabolites are classified as endocrine modulators. They affect the hormonal balance in both children and adults. The aim of this publication was to compare the urinary levels of phthalate metabolites in selected populations of the Czech Republic (CZ), Slovakia (SK), and Hungary (HU) in relation to the sources of phthalate exposure identified by means of questionnaire (personal care products, floor and wall coverings, plastic toys, and some kinds of foods). Data were obtained through the twin projects COPHES (COnsortium to Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale) and DEMOCOPHES (DEMOnstration of a study to COordinate and Perform Human biomonitoring on a European Scale) from 2009 to 2012. The target groups were children aged 6-11 years old and their mothers up to 45 years of age. The metabolites of phthalates (monomethyl phthalate (MMP), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono-cyclohexyl phthalate (MCHP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (5OH-MEHP), and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (5OXO-MEHP)) were analysed in first morning urine samples. After enzymatic glucuronide cleavage, the urine sample analyses were performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS) in one laboratory that qualified in the External Quality Assessment exercises organised by COPHES. Significant differences in phthalate exposure between countries were revealed for children only but not for mothers. The concentrations of 5-OH-MEHP (P<0.001), 5OXO-MEHP (P<0.001), and their sum (P<0.001) were the highest in SK compared to CZ and HU. The health based guidance values for the sum of DEHP metabolites 5-OH MEHP and 5OXO-MEHP established by the German Commission for biomonitoring of 300 µg/L and 500 µg/L for women adults and children, respectively, were only exceeded in one mother and three boys. A significant difference was also found for MEP (P=0.0149), with the highest concentrations detected in HU. In all countries, the increasing frequency of using personal care products significantly elevated the concentrations of MEP. Some differences were observed between countries in the concentrations of individual urinary phthalate metabolites in children. However, the questionnaire results give no direct explanation for the differences between the countries except the variation in using personal care products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The geographical distribution and prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in animals in the European Union and adjacent countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Oksanen, Antti; Siles-Lucas, Mar; Karamon, Jacek; Possenti, Alessia; Conraths, Franz J; Romig, Thomas; Wysocki, Patrick; Mannocci, Alice; Mipatrini, Daniele; La Torre, Giuseppe; Boufana, Belgees; Casulli, Adriano

2016-09-28

This study aimed to provide a systematic review on the geographical distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis in definitive and intermediate hosts in the European Union (EU) and adjacent countries (AC). The relative importance of the different host species in the life-cycle of this parasite was highlighted and gaps in our knowledge regarding these hosts were identified. Six databases were searched for primary research studies published from 1900 to 2015. From a total of 2,805 identified scientific papers, 244 publications were used for meta-analyses. Studies in 21 countries reported the presence of E. multilocularis in red foxes, with the following pooled prevalence (PP): low (≤ 1 %; Denmark, Slovenia and Sweden); medium (> 1 % to < 10 %; Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania and the Ukraine); and high (> 10 %; Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Liechtenstein and Switzerland). Studies from Finland, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Norway reported the absence of E. multilocularis in red foxes. However, E. multilocularis was detected in Arctic foxes from the Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard in Norway. Raccoon dogs (PP 2.2 %), golden jackals (PP 4.7 %) and wolves (PP 1.4 %) showed a higher E. multilocularis PP than dogs (PP 0.3 %) and cats (PP 0.5 %). High E. multilocularis PP in raccoon dogs and golden jackals correlated with high PP in foxes. For intermediate hosts (IHs), muskrats (PP 4.2 %) and arvicolids (PP 6.0 %) showed similar E. multilocularis PP as sylvatic definitive hosts (DHs), excluding foxes. Nutrias (PP 1.0 %) and murids (PP 1.1 %) could play a role in the life-cycle of E. multilocularis in areas with medium to high PP in red foxes. In areas with low PP in foxes, no other DH was found infected with E. multilocularis. When fox E. multilocularis PP was >3 %, raccoon dogs and golden jackals could play a similar role as foxes. In areas with high E. multilocularis fox PP, the wolf emerged as a potentially important DH. Dogs and cats could be irrelevant in the life-cycle of the parasite in Europe, although dogs could be important for parasite introduction into non-endemic areas. Muskrats and arvicolids are important IHs. Swine, insectivores, murids and nutrias seem to play a minor or no role in the life-cycle of the parasite within the EU and ACs.

American Society of Hand Therapists

MedlinePlus

... Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the ... Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the ...

The 13th Tihany Symposium on Radiation Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojnárovits, László; Takács, Erzsébet

2016-07-01

The Symposium was held in Balatonalmádi, a beautiful city by the Lake Balaton, Hungary, between August 29 and September 3, 2015. This time - to meet the expectations of many colleagues and friends - a place close to the village Tihany was selected, where the first Tihany Symposium was organized in 1962. The participants beside the excellent lectures could also enjoy the panorama of the Lake from the rooms and from the terrace of Hotel Ramada. The number of participants was close to 170 from about 33 countries. The highest number of participants arrived from Poland (14), followed by France (11), Turkey (9) and China (9). The Symposium had 6-6 colleagues from Brazil, Israel, and Romania. Beside China, Asia was represented by a few scientists from the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and from Saudi Arabia.

Dominant psychoactive drugs in the Central European region: A wastewater study.

PubMed

Mackuľak, Tomáš; Bodík, Igor; Hasan, Jamal; Grabic, Roman; Golovko, Oksana; Vojs-Staňová, Andrea; Gál, Miroslav; Naumowicz, Monika; Tichý, Jozef; Brandeburová, Paula; Híveš, Ján

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to analyze 26 various illicit drugs, psychopharmaceuticals and metabolites thereof in sewer from 17 selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Slovak and Czech Republics. Urinary bio-markers used were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with the tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We then compared our results with data obtained in other parts of Europe and the world. The present study shows that the Slovak and Czech Republics have one of the highest methamphetamine consumption rates in Europe. Within Slovakia, the highest level of methamphetamine consumption was found in Dunajská Streda with the mean specific load of the drug in sewage being up to 479mg/day/1000 inhabitants; the next highest load was detected in Trnava (354mg/day/1000 inhabitants). The methamphetamine, ecstasy and cannabis consumptions in our study were comparable to those found in other European cities, whereas cocaine consumption was lower. Among all of the studied psychopharmaceuticals, tramadol and venlafaxine were represented in the highest concentrations. The highest mean specific load of tramadol was detected in the spa town of Piešťany (371mg/day/1000 inhabitants) and Košice (372mg/day/1000 inhabitants), while the highest mean loads of venlafaxine were recorded for the towns of Trenčín (230mg/day/1000 inhabitants) and Piešťany (108mg/day/1000 inhabitants). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological Study of Orofacial Clefts among Population of Eastern Slovakia during the Period 1996-2013.

PubMed

Pacáková, Diana; Zábavníková, Marianna; Miklošová, Mária; Kúkeľová, Diana; Dankovčík, Róbert

2016-06-01

Over the past 18 years, according to data from the Clinic of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, L. Pasteur University Hospital, there have been 493 cases of orofacial clefts (OC) reported in the area of Eastern Slovakia. The aim of this study was to map the occurrence of orofacial clefts reported in the area of Eastern Slovakia during the years 1996-2013. Also, we compared the occurrence of different types of clefts between the groups in relation to gender and ethnicity. The statistical analysis shows relationship between variables of location and gender and gender differences in the occurrence of various types of clefts. Moreover, in comparison with another study which analyzed the years 1985-2000 (1.29/10(3) live births), there was an increase in the incidence (1.42/10(3) live births) of OC in Eastern Slovakia. Our findings seem contradictive to similar studies which discuss ethnic differences in relation to OC. We recognize the relatively high occurrence of OC in Eastern Slovakia, and we link this phenomenon to several extrinsic factors, in particular socioeconomic status and embryotoxic factors. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

The role of biophysical indicators in the reconstruction of long-term late-spring - summer temperatures for the region of Western Hungary and Eastern Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiss, Andrea; Wilson, Rob; Holawe, Franz; Strömmer, Elisabeth; Bariska, István.

2010-05-01

We present an almost 500-year May-July temperature reconstruction based on 24 biophysical series. 19 are vine-related series from Kőszeg, Szombathely and Sopron in Western Hungary (11 series, from 1580s onwards), Vienna, Klosterneuburg, Perchtoldsdorf (7 series; at present from 1520s onwards) in Eastern Austria and Bratislava in Western Slovakia (1 series, from 1770s onwards). At present, the first, largest group is the vine related indicators, where dates of blossoming (1 series), beginning of grape ripening (3 series), dates of full ripening (2 series), beginning of grapevine harvest (8 series), starting dates of pressing out the juice (1 series: at present 1520s onwards), starting dates of tax-collection (after the pressed juice: 1 series) and wine quality indices (3 series: from 1580s onwards) are also included. The second main group of 4 indicators applied in the analysis are grain-harvest related indicators from Western Hungary, such as dates for estimation of harvesting-shares which are strongly dependant on the beginning of grain harvesting (at present 2 series: from 1640s onwards) and dates of grain tax collection (2 series: from 1560s onwards). A third group, still in development, is mainly related to more natural vegetation, and is strongly dependent on the full ripening of oak acorns: the starting dates of woodland pasture (at present 1 series: from 1770s onwards). The above-mentioned historical series correlate well, over the 18th-19th century period, with Vienna May-July measured temperature (Böhm, et. al. 2009). The complicated nature of these historical data is described (e.g. with respect to the normality of the data distribution), and we present methods to transform and composite the data into a homogenous, homoscedastic time-series that can be used for proxy based calibration. Finally, a preliminary May-July temperature reconstruction is derived using modified dendrochronological methods. (see Leijonhufvud et al. 2009) The Kőszeg, Szombathely, Sopron and Bratislava series and all presented analyses were developed within the framework of the EU project 'Millenium'. The Austrian series are partly based on published series (Pribram 1938, Lauscher 1985, Strömmer 2003) although in some cases modified and extended for this study, as well as newly developed data. The present work is a continuation of the 'Analysis of late spring-summer temperatures for Western Hungary based on vine, grain tithes and harvest records', presented at the annual congress of EGU in 2009 (Kiss and Wilson 2009). References Böhm, R., Jones, P.D., Hiebl, J., Frank, D., Brunetti, M., Maugeri and M. 2009: The early instrumental warm-bias: a solution for long central European temperature series 1760-2007. Climatic Change, doi: 10.1007/s10584-009-9649-4. Kiss, A. and Wilson, R. 2009: Analysis of late spring-summer temperatures for Western Hungary based on vine, grain tithes and harvest records. Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol 11, EGU2009-10945-1. Lauscher, F. 1985: Beiträge zur Wetterchronik seit dem Mittelalter. In: Sitzungsberichte, Abtheilung II, Mathematische, Physikalische und Technische Wissenschaften, Band 194, Heft 1-3. pp. 93-131. Leijonhufvud, L., Wilson, R., Möberg, A., Söderberg, J., Retső, D. and Söderlind, U. 2009: Five centuries of Stockholm winter/spring temperatures reconstructed from documentary evidence and instrumental observations. Climatic Change, doi: 10.1007/s10584-009-9650-y. Pribram, A. F. 1938: Materialien zur Geschichte der Preise und Löhne in Österreich. Band. I. Carl Ueberreuters Verlag, Wien. pp. 364-370. Strömmer, E. 2003: Klima-Geschichte. Methoden der Rekonstruction und historische Perspektive. Ostösterreich 1700 bis 1830. Forschungen und Beiträge zur Wiener Stadtgescichte 39. Franz Deuticke, Wien. pp. 59-71.

Current status of biotechnology in Slovakia.

PubMed

Stuchlík, Stanislav; Turna, Ján

2013-07-01

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotechnology as: 'Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.' In other words biotechnology is 'application of scientific and technical advances in life science to develop commercial products' or briefly 'the use of molecular biology for useful purposes'. This short overview is about different branches of biotechnology carried out in Slovakia and it shows that Slovakia has a good potential for further development of modern biotechnologies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PREFACE: SANS-YuMO User Meeting at the Start-up of Scientific Experiments on the IBR-2M Reactor: Devoted to the 75th anniversary of Yu M Ostanevich's birth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordely, Valentin; Kuklin, Alexander; Balasoiu, Maria

2012-03-01

The Second International Workshop 'SANS-YuMO User Meeting at the Start-up of Scientific Experiments on the IBR-2M Reactor', devoted to the 75th anniversary of the birth of Professor Yu M Ostanevich (1936-1992), an outstanding neutron physicist and the founder of small-angle neutron scattering (field, group, and instrument) at JINR FLNPh, was held on 27-30 May at the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics. The first Workshop was held in October 2006. Research groups from different neutron centers, universities and research institutes across Europe presented more than 35 oral and poster presentations describing scientific and methodological results. Most of them were obtained with the help of the YuMO instrument before the IBR-2 shutdown in 2006. For the last four years the IBR-2 reactor has been shut down for refurbishment. At the end of 2010 the physical launch of the IBR-2M reactor was finally realized. Nowadays the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique is applied to a wide range of scientific problems in condensed matter, soft condensed matter, biology and nanotechnology, and despite the fact that there are currently over 30 SANS instruments in operation worldwide at both reactor and spallation sources, the demand for beam-time is considerably higher than the time available. It must be remembered, however, that as the first SANS machine on a steady-state reactor was constructed at the Institute Laue Langevin, Grenoble, the first SANS instrument on a 'white' neutron pulsed beam was accomplished at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research at the IBR-30 reactor, beamline N5. During the meeting Yu M Ostanevich's determinative and crucial contribution to the construction of spectrometers at the IBR-2 high-pulsed reactor was presented, as well as his contribution to the development of the time-of-flight (TOF) small-angle scattering technique, and a selection of other scientific areas. His leadership and outstanding scientific achievements in applications of the Mossbauer effect in physics and chemistry, in SANS studies of polyelectrolytes, small molecules, fractals, metallic glasses, macromolecules, polymers, etc., were recognized by a number of awards including the State Prize of the Russian Federation in 2000. The scientific program of the workshop focused on fundamental and methodical research at the YuMO spectrometer and developments of the SANS instrument at the modernized IBR-2M reactor. We recall that the acronym YuMO of the small-angle neutron scattering spectrometer (MURN), was given in honor of Yu M Ostanevich. One of the most important objectives of this user meeting was to discuss the further development possibilities of the YuMO spectrometer with experts, in the frame of a SANS YuMO Round Table, taking into account the specific performance of the modernized YuMO SANS instrument, and the scientific and technical requests of the instrument's users. Highlights on modern achievements in nanoscience, polymers and biology were other significant goals of the meeting. The plenary invited talks were presented by leading scientists in small-angle neutron scattering and soft condensed matter, including members of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Prof. Heinrich Stuhrmann, Prof. Alexei Khokhlov, Prof. Jose Teixeira, Prof. Alexander Ozerin, Prof. Albrecht Wiedenmann, etc. There were 27 oral talks given and 32 posters presented by 92 participants from 12 countries: Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, and Ukraine. The workshop was organized with the financial support of the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research), Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering - IFIN HH (Romania), Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry AS CR (Czech Republic), and Comenius University (Slovakia). V Gordeliy, A Kuklin and M Balasoiu SANSgroup Participants of the meeting The PDF also contains additional photographs from the meeting.

Observation of the Earth liquid core resonance by extensometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bán, Dóra; Mentes, Gyula

2016-04-01

The axis of the fluid outer core of the Earth and the rotation axis of the mantle do not coincide therefore restoring forces are set up at the core-mantle boundary which try to realign the two axes causing a resonance effect. In celestial reference system it is called the "Free Core Nutation" (FCN), which can be characterized by a period of 432 days while in the Earth reference system it is called the "Nearly Diurnal Free Wobble" (NDFW). The frequency of this phenomenon is near to the diurnal tidal frequencies, especially to P1 and K1 waves. Due to its resonance effect this phenomenon can be detected also by quartz tube extensometers suitable for Earth tides recording. In this study data series measured in several extensometric stations were used to reveal the presence of the FCN resonance. In the Pannonian Basin there are five observatories where extensometric measurements were carried out in different lengths of time. Four stations in Hungary: Sopronbánfalva Geodynamical Observatory (2000-2014), Budapest Mátyáshegy Gravity and Geodynamic Observatory (2005-2012), Pécs uranium mine (1991-1999), Bakonya, near to Pécs (2004-2005) and in Slovakia: Vyhne Earth Tide Observatory (2001-2013). Identical instrumentation in different observatories provides the opportunity to compare measurements with various topography, geology and environmental parameters. The results are also compared to values inferred from extensometric measurements in other stations.

From South to North: flowering phenological responses at different geographical latitudes in 12 European countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, Barbara; Lehoczky, Annamária; Filzmoser, Peter; Templ, Matthias; Szentkirályi, Ferenc; Pongrácz, Rita; Ortner, Thomas; Mert, Can; Czúcz, Bálint

2014-05-01

Phenological sensitivity of plants strongly depends on regional climate variability, moreover it is also influenced by large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns. Plants in different environmental conditions (determined by geographical latitude and longitude, altitude, continentality) may show diverse responses to climate change. The first results of an international cooperation aiming at the analysis of plant phenological data along a latitudinal gradient over 12 European countries (Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland) are presented. The spatio-temporal changes in the flowering onset dates of common lilac (Syringa vulgaris L.) during the period of 1970-2000 were analysed. To characterise the environmental conditions driving the phenological responses, climatic variables (atmospheric pressure, air temperature, precipitation) obtained from a gridded observational dataset (E-OBS 9.0) and time series of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index were used. Preliminary results for this particular species found a gradual advance of mean flowering onsets along latitudes from 40° N to 65° N, at the rate of -0.12 to -0.32 day/year. Significant zonal differences were found in these rates, which can be explained by the sensitivity of flowering to climatic conditions while moving from Mediterranen to boreal regions of Europe. Thus our results were coherent with most observations in the literature, that higher latitudes can exhibit more pronounced responses, particularly in case of spring phenological events.

15 CFR 742.6 - Regional stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain..., Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and..., South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom or the United States. (4) RS Column...

15 CFR 742.6 - Regional stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain..., Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and..., South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom or the United States. (4) RS Column...

15 CFR 742.6 - Regional stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain..., Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and..., South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom or the United States. (4) RS Column...

PHENIX Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adare, A.; Afanasiev, S.; Aidala, C.; Ajitanand, N. N.; Akiba, Y.; Akimoto, R.; Al-Bataineh, H.; Al-Ta'ani, H.; Alexander, J.; Alfred, M.; Andrews, K. R.; Angerami, A.; Aoki, K.; Apadula, N.; Aphecetche, L.; Appelt, E.; Aramaki, Y.; Armendariz, R.; Aronson, S. H.; Asai, J.; Asano, H.; Aschenauer, E. C.; Atomssa, E. T.; Averbeck, R.; Awes, T. C.; Azmoun, B.; Babintsev, V.; Bai, M.; Bai, X.; Baksay, G.; Baksay, L.; Baldisseri, A.; Bandara, N. S.; Bannier, B.; Barish, K. N.; Barnes, P. D.; Bassalleck, B.; Basye, A. T.; Bathe, S.; Batsouli, S.; Baublis, V.; Baumann, C.; Baumgart, S.; Bazilevsky, A.; Beaumier, M.; Beckman, S.; Belikov, S.; Belmont, R.; Ben-Benjamin, J.; Bennett, R.; Berdnikov, A.; Berdnikov, Y.; Bhom, J. H.; Bickley, A. A.; Bing, X.; Black, D.; Blau, D. S.; Boissevain, J. G.; Bok, J. S.; Borel, H.; Boyle, K.; Brooks, M. L.; Broxmeyer, D.; Bryslawskyj, J.; Buesching, H.; Bumazhnov, V.; Bunce, G.; Butsyk, S.; Camacho, C. M.; Campbell, S.; Caringi, A.; Castera, P.; Chang, B. S.; Chang, W. C.; Charvet, J.-L.; Chen, C.-H.; Chernichenko, S.; Chi, C. Y.; Chiba, J.; Chiu, M.; Choi, I. J.; Choi, J. B.; Choi, S.; Choudhury, R. K.; Christiansen, P.; Chujo, T.; Chung, P.; Churyn, A.; Chvala, O.; Cianciolo, V.; Citron, Z.; Cleven, C. R.; Cole, B. A.; Comets, M. P.; Conesa del Valle, Z.; Connors, M.; Constantin, P.; Cronin, N.; Crossette, N.; Csanád, M.; Csörgő, T.; Dahms, T.; Dairaku, S.; Danchev, I.; Das, K.; Datta, A.; Daugherity, M. S.; David, G.; Dayananda, M. K.; Deaton, M. B.; DeBlasio, K.; Dehmelt, K.; Delagrange, H.; Denisov, A.; d'Enterria, D.; Deshpande, A.; Desmond, E. J.; Dharmawardane, K. V.; Dietzsch, O.; Ding, L.; Dion, A.; Do, J. H.; Donadelli, M.; Drapier, O.; Drees, A.; Drees, K. A.; Dubey, A. K.; Durham, J. M.; Durum, A.; Dutta, D.; Dzhordzhadze, V.; D'Orazio, L.; Edwards, S.; Efremenko, Y. V.; Egdemir, J.; Ellinghaus, F.; Emam, W. S.; Engelmore, T.; Enokizono, A.; En'yo, H.; Esumi, S.; Eyser, K. O.; Fadem, B.; Feege, N.; Fields, D. E.; Finger, M.; Finger, M.; Fleuret, F.; Fokin, S. L.; Fraenkel, Z.; Frantz, J. E.; Franz, A.; Frawley, A. D.; Fujiwara, K.; Fukao, Y.; Fusayasu, T.; Gadrat, S.; Gainey, K.; Gal, C.; Gallus, P.; Garg, P.; Garishvili, A.; Garishvili, I.; Ge, H.; Giordano, F.; Glenn, A.; Gong, H.; Gong, X.; Gonin, M.; Gosset, J.; Goto, Y.; Granier de Cassagnac, R.; Grau, N.; Greene, S. V.; Grim, G.; Grosse Perdekamp, M.; Gu, Y.; Gunji, T.; Guo, L.; Guragain, H.; Gustafsson, H.-Å.; Hachiya, T.; Hadj Henni, A.; Haegemann, C.; Haggerty, J. S.; Hahn, K. I.; Hamagaki, H.; Hamblen, J.; Han, R.; Han, S. Y.; Hanks, J.; Harada, H.; Harper, C.; Hartouni, E. P.; Haruna, K.; Hasegawa, S.; Hashimoto, K.; Haslum, E.; Hayano, R.; Hayashi, S.; He, X.; Heffner, M.; Hemmick, T. K.; Hester, T.; Hiejima, H.; Hill, J. C.; Hobbs, R.; Hohlmann, M.; Hollis, R. S.; Holzmann, W.; Homma, K.; Hong, B.; Horaguchi, T.; Hori, Y.; Hornback, D.; Hoshino, T.; Huang, J.; Huang, S.; Ichihara, T.; Ichimiya, R.; Ide, J.; Iinuma, H.; Ikeda, Y.; Imai, K.; Imazu, Y.; Imrek, J.; Inaba, M.; Inoue, Y.; Iordanova, A.; Isenhower, D.; Isenhower, L.; Ishihara, M.; Isinhue, A.; Isobe, T.; Issah, M.; Isupov, A.; Ivanischev, D.; Ivanishchev, D.; Iwanaga, Y.; Jacak, B. V.; Javani, M.; Jeon, S. J.; Jezghani, M.; Jia, J.; Jiang, X.; Jin, J.; Jinnouchi, O.; John, D.; Johnson, B. M.; Jones, T.; Joo, E.; Joo, K. S.; Jouan, D.; Jumper, D. S.; Kajihara, F.; Kametani, S.; Kamihara, N.; Kamin, J.; Kanda, S.; Kaneta, M.; Kaneti, S.; Kang, B. H.; Kang, J. H.; Kang, J. S.; Kanou, H.; Kapustinsky, J.; Karatsu, K.; Kasai, M.; Kawall, D.; Kawashima, M.; Kazantsev, A. V.; Kempel, T.; Key, J. A.; Khachatryan, V.; Khandai, P. K.; Khanzadeev, A.; Kihara, K.; Kijima, K. M.; Kikuchi, J.; Kim, A.; Kim, B. I.; Kim, C.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, D. J.; Kim, E.; Kim, E.-J.; Kim, H.-J.; Kim, H. J.; Kim, K.-B.; Kim, M.; Kim, S. H.; Kim, Y.-J.; Kim, Y. K.; Kinney, E.; Kiriluk, K.; Kiss, Á.; Kistenev, E.; Kiyomichi, A.; Klatsky, J.; Klay, J.; Klein-Boesing, C.; Kleinjan, D.; Kline, P.; Koblesky, T.; Kochenda, L.; Kochetkov, V.; Kofarago, M.; Komatsu, Y.; Komkov, B.; Konno, M.; Koster, J.; Kotchetkov, D.; Kotov, D.; Kozlov, A.; Král, A.; Kravitz, A.; Krizek, F.; Kubart, J.; Kunde, G. J.; Kurihara, N.; Kurita, K.; Kurosawa, M.; Kweon, M. J.; Kwon, Y.; Kyle, G. S.; Lacey, R.; Lai, Y. S.; Lajoie, J. G.; Layton, D.; Lebedev, A.; Lee, B.; Lee, D. M.; Lee, G. H.; Lee, J.; Lee, K.; Lee, K. B.; Lee, K. S.; Lee, M. K.; Lee, S. H.; Lee, S. R.; Lee, T.; Leitch, M. J.; Leite, M. A. L.; Leitgab, M.; Leitner, E.; Lenzi, B.; Lewis, B.; Li, X.; Lichtenwalner, P.; Liebing, P.; Lim, S. H.; Linden Levy, L. A.; Liška, T.; Litvinenko, A.; Liu, H.; Liu, M. X.; Love, B.; Luechtenborg, R.; Lynch, D.; Maguire, C. F.; Makdisi, Y. I.; Ma, M.; Malakhov, A.; Malik, M. D.; Manion, A.; Manko, V. I.; Mannel, E.; Mao, Y.; Maruyama, T.; Mašek, L.; Masui, H.; Masumoto, S.; Matathias, F.; McCumber, M.; McGaughey, P. L.; McGlinchey, D.; McKinney, C.; Means, N.; Meles, A.; Mendoza, M.; Meredith, B.; Miake, Y.; Mibe, T.; Midori, J.; Mignerey, A. C.; Mikeš, P.; Miki, K.; Miller, A. J.; Miller, T. E.; Milov, A.; Mioduszewski, S.; Mishra, D. K.; Mishra, M.; Mitchell, J. T.; Mitrovski, M.; Miyachi, Y.; Miyasaka, S.; Mizuno, S.; Mohanty, A. K.; Montuenga, P.; Moon, H. J.; Moon, T.; Morino, Y.; Morreale, A.; Morrison, D. P.; Moskowitz, M.; Motschwiller, S.; Moukhanova, T. V.; Mukhopadhyay, D.; Murakami, T.; Murata, J.; Mwai, A.; Nagae, T.; Nagamiya, S.; Nagata, Y.; Nagle, J. L.; Naglis, M.; Nagy, M. I.; Nakagawa, I.; Nakagomi, H.; Nakamiya, Y.; Nakamura, K. R.; Nakamura, T.; Nakano, K.; Nam, S.; Nattrass, C.; Nederlof, A.; Netrakanti, P. K.; Newby, J.; Nguyen, M.; Nihashi, M.; Niida, T.; Norman, B. E.; Nouicer, R.; Novak, T.; Novitzky, N.; Nukariya, A.; Nyanin, A. S.; Oakley, C.; Obayashi, H.; O'Brien, E.; Oda, S. X.; Ogilvie, C. A.; Ohnishi, H.; Oide, H.; Oka, M.; Okada, K.; Omiwade, O. O.; Onuki, Y.; Orjuela Koop, J. D.; Oskarsson, A.; Ouchida, M.; Ozaki, H.; Ozawa, K.; Pak, R.; Pal, D.; Palounek, A. P. T.; Pantuev, V.; Papavassiliou, V.; Park, B. H.; Park, I. H.; Park, J.; Park, S.; Park, S. K.; Park, W. J.; Pate, S. F.; Patel, L.; Patel, M.; Pei, H.; Peng, J.-C.; Pereira, H.; Perepelitsa, D. V.; Perera, G. D. N.; Peresedov, V.; Peressounko, D. Yu.; Perry, J.; Petti, R.; Pinkenburg, C.; Pinson, R.; Pisani, R. P.; Proissl, M.; Purschke, M. L.; Purwar, A. K.; Qu, H.; Rak, J.; Rakotozafindrabe, A.; Ravinovich, I.; Read, K. F.; Rembeczki, S.; Reuter, M.; Reygers, K.; Reynolds, D.; Riabov, V.; Riabov, Y.; Richardson, E.; Riveli, N.; Roach, D.; Roche, G.; Rolnick, S. D.; Romana, A.; Rosati, M.; Rosen, C. A.; Rosendahl, S. S. E.; Rosnet, P.; Rowan, Z.; Rubin, J. G.; Rukoyatkin, P.; Ružička, P.; Rykov, V. L.; Ryu, M. S.; Sahlmueller, B.; Saito, N.; Sakaguchi, T.; Sakai, S.; Sakashita, K.; Sakata, H.; Sako, H.; Samsonov, V.; Sano, M.; Sano, S.; Sarsour, M.; Sato, S.; Sato, T.; Savastio, M.; Sawada, S.; Schaefer, B.; Schmoll, B. K.; Sedgwick, K.; Seele, J.; Seidl, R.; Sekiguchi, Y.; Semenov, A. Yu.; Semenov, V.; Sen, A.; Seto, R.; Sett, P.; Sexton, A.; Sharma, D.; Shaver, A.; Shein, I.; Shevel, A.; Shibata, T.-A.; Shigaki, K.; Shim, H. H.; Shimomura, M.; Shoji, K.; Shukla, P.; Sickles, A.; Silva, C. L.; Silvermyr, D.; Silvestre, C.; Sim, K. S.; Singh, B. K.; Singh, C. P.; Singh, V.; Skolnik, M.; Skutnik, S.; Slunečka, M.; Sodre, T.; Solano, S.; Soldatov, A.; Soltz, R. A.; Sondheim, W. E.; Sorensen, S. P.; Soumya, M.; Sourikova, I. V.; Sparks, N. A.; Staley, F.; Stankus, P. W.; Steinberg, P.; Stenlund, E.; Stepanov, M.; Ster, A.; Stoll, S. P.; Stone, M. R.; Sugitate, T.; Suire, C.; Sukhanov, A.; Sumita, T.; Sun, J.; Sziklai, J.; Tabaru, T.; Takagi, S.; Takagui, E. M.; Takahara, A.; Taketani, A.; Tanabe, R.; Tanaka, Y.; Taneja, S.; Tanida, K.; Tannenbaum, M. J.; Tarafdar, S.; Taranenko, A.; Tarján, P.; Tennant, E.; Themann, H.; Thomas, D.; Thomas, T. L.; Timilsina, A.; Todoroki, T.; Togawa, M.; Toia, A.; Tojo, J.; Tomášek, L.; Tomášek, M.; Tomita, Y.; Torii, H.; Towell, M.; Towell, R.; Towell, R. S.; Tram, V.-N.; Tserruya, I.; Tsuchimoto, Y.; Tsuji, T.; Utsunomiya, K.; Vale, C.; Valle, H.; van Hecke, H. W.; Vargyas, M.; Vazquez-Zambrano, E.; Veicht, A.; Velkovska, J.; Vértesi, R.; Vinogradov, A. A.; Virius, M.; Voas, B.; Vossen, A.; Vrba, V.; Vznuzdaev, E.; Wagner, M.; Walker, D.; Wang, X. R.; Watanabe, D.; Watanabe, K.; Watanabe, Y.; Watanabe, Y. S.; Wei, F.; Wei, R.; Wessels, J.; Whitaker, S.; White, S. N.; Winter, D.; Wolin, S.; Wood, J. P.; Woody, C. L.; Wright, R. M.; Wysocki, M.; Xia, B.; Xie, W.; Xue, L.; Yalcin, S.; Yamaguchi, Y. L.; Yamaura, K.; Yang, R.; Yanovich, A.; Yasin, Z.; Ying, J.; Yokkaichi, S.; Yoo, J. S.; Yoon, I.; You, Z.; Young, G. R.; Younus, I.; Yushmanov, I. E.; Zajc, W. A.; Zaudtke, O.; Zelenski, A.; Zhang, C.; Zhou, S.; Zimányi, J.; Zolin, L.

2014-12-01

We thank the staff of the Collider-Accelerator and Physics Departments at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the staff of the other PHENIX participating institutions for their vital contributions. We acknowledge support from the Office of Nuclear Physics in the Office of Science of the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, a sponsored research grant from Renaissance Technologies LLC, Abilene Christian University Research Council, Research Foundation of SUNY, and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Vanderbilt University (USA), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Japan), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Brazil), Natural Science Foundation of China, (People's Republic of China), Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports (Croatia), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Czech Republic), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules (France), Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, and Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung (Germany), OTKA NK 101 428 grant and the Ch. Simonyi Fund (Hungary), Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science and Technology (India), Israel Science Foundation (Israel), National Research Foundation and WCU program of the Ministry Education Science and Technology (Republic of Korea), Physics Department, Lahore University of Management Sciences (Pakistan), Ministry of Education and Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Agency of Atomic Energy (Russia), VR and Wallenberg Foundation (Sweden), the US Civilian Research and Development Foundation for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union, and the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation.

Survey of Hungary: Past and Present. Educational Curriculum Kit 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boros-Kazai, Andrew; Body, Paul

This booklet summarizes basic information concerning Hungary and Hungarians in America. It is intended as an initial source of reference for the teacher, student, and general reader. The history of Hungary is discussed in three sections, including the origins of Hungarians, the history and culture of Hungary since 1500, and conditions in Hungary…

PREFACE: 6th International Workshop on Multi-Rate Processes and Hysteresis (MURPHYS2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimian, Mihai; Rachinskii, Dmitrii

2015-02-01

The International Workshop on Multi-Rate Processes and Hysteresis (MURPHYS) conference series focuses on multiple scale systems, singular perturbation problems, phase transitions and hysteresis phenomena occurring in physical, biological, chemical, economical, engineering and information systems. The 6th edition was hosted by Stefan cel Mare University in the city of Suceava located in the beautiful multicultural land of Bukovina, Romania, from May 21 to 24, 2012. This continued the series of biennial multidisciplinary conferences organized in Cork, Ireland from 2002 to 2008 and in Pécs, Hungary in 2010. The MURPHYS 2012 Workshop brought together more than 50 researchers in hysteresis and multi-scale phenomena from the United State of America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Ukraine, and Romania. Participants shared and discussed new developments of analytical techniques and numerical methods along with a variety of their applications in various areas, including material sciences, electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering and civil structures, biological and eco-systems, economics and finance. The Workshop was sponsored by the European Social Fund through Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources 2007-2013 (PRO-DOCT) and Stefan cel Mare University, Suceava. The Organizing Committee was co-chaired by Mihai Dimian from Stefan cel Mare University, Suceava (Romania), Amalia Ivanyi from the University of Pecs (Hungary), and Dmitrii Rachinskii from the University College Cork (Ireland). All papers published in this volume of Journal of Physics: Conference Series have been peer reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing. The Guest Editors wish to place on record their sincere gratitude to Miss Sarah Toms for the assistance she provided during the publication process. More information about the Workshop can be found at http://www.murphys.usv.ro/ Mihai Dimian and Dmitrii Rachinskii Guest Editors for Journal of Physics: Conference Series Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Multi-Rate Processes and Hysteresis

Teaching and Learning Science in Hungary, 1867-1945: Schools, Personalities, Influences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Tibor

2012-01-01

The article provides an overview of the development of teaching science in Hungary during both the time of the dual monarchy and the newly established independent Hungary after 1920. The integration of Hungary into the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (1867-1918) strengthened the effect of German speaking European science, the results of which were…

Crohns disease in Slovakia: prevalence, socioeconomic and psychological analysis.

PubMed

Príkazka, M; Letkovicová, M; Matejíckova, V

1998-01-01

The need for a basic epidemiological study, according to international standards, of the prevalence of IBD in Slovakia was increased by the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. This paper presents the results of CD prevalence to 30 April 1994 in Slovakia. To evaluate the statistical data of the prevalence of the disease according to age, sex, regions and districts, the authors employed the multi-dimensional Kruskal-Wallis test and cluster analysis and determined that the prevalence of CD in Slovakia is 6.75/100.000 inhabitants. The distribution differences indicate the need for further investigations of environmental differences. The socio-economic and psychological evaluation of the patients examined revealed some interesting associations. The psychological reaction to the disease is neurotic and depressive and a higher occurrence of affective symptomatology was observed in patients with permanent partnership and with children. On the other hand, the educational level and knowledge concerning the disease on the part of the patient had a positive influence on the reaction to the disease.

[Organization and management of nationalized pharmaceutical industry in Slovakia from 1945 to 1948].

PubMed

Senček, Richard R

2013-02-01

The paper discusses a short but important period in the history of pharmaceutical industry with regard to Slovakia. The complicated post-war situation required peremptory interventions from the state, which attempted to secure the operation of strategic firms by means of National Administration Boards and nationalization. The firms which were nationalized by this measure were managed by the Ministry of Industry. They included also the pharmaceutical firms nationalized in Slovakia. The situation which produced contradictory responses in society and political scene culminated in the communist coup detat and nationalization of virtually all industries.Key words: nationalization pharmaceutical industry Ministry of Industry.

Dataset on records of Hericium erinaceus in Slovakia.

PubMed

Kunca, Vladimír; Čiliak, Marek

2017-06-01

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled "Habitat preferences of Hericium erinaceus in Slovakia" (Kunca and Čiliak, 2016) [FUNECO607] [2]. The dataset include all available and unpublished data from Slovakia, besides the records from the same tree or stem. We compiled a database of records of collections by processing data from herbaria, personal records and communication with mycological activists. Data on altitude, tree species, host tree vital status, host tree position and intensity of management of forest stands were evaluated in this study. All surveys were based on basidioma occurrence and some result from targeted searches.

Methods of intervention in the control of ragweed spread (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) in the area of Zagreb County and the city of Zagreb.

PubMed

Gajnik, Davorin; Peternel, Renata

2009-12-01

The increase in ragweed mediated health problems has led to the development of defense strategies in the countries with the most serious ragweed pollution, namely Hungary, Italy and France. The aim of this paper is to define the frequency of allergic disturbances brought by ragweed pollen in the period between 2002 and 2004, and to devise an action plan for its eradication in the area of Zagreb, as well as in Zagreb County. Thanks to the analysis of common methods of ragweed eradication, even by stating biological ragweed eradication, the best efficiency in ragweed eradication would be achieved through a method that combines several common methods, i.e., a mixed method. In its order on taking measures for obligatory eradication of ragweed, it has stated that the Ministry will ensure funds so that Plant Protection Department in Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Croatia, and Department of Herbology of the Faculty of Agriculture of Zagreb could observe the beginning and continuity of ragweed blossom, make an evaluation on the degree of weed overgrowth, establish how widespread it is in the Republic of Croatia, inform the public via the media on control measures and some other duties, but there is no financial help to those who are selected to eradicate ragweed.

Nutritional situation of the elderly in Eastern/Baltic and Central/Western Europe - the AgeingNutrition project.

PubMed

Lesser, Stephanie; Pauly, Lioba; Volkert, Dorothee; Stehle, Peter

2008-01-01

In the AgeingNutrition project, funded by the European Commission, partners from 10 'Eastern/Baltic' (new) European (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Turkey) and 5 'Central/Western' (old) European countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, and Spain) performed a comparative analysis of existing data on nutritional status, food intake, nutrient intake, dietary habits and lifestyle of the aging population in Europe. Using predefined inclusion criteria, 36 studies (22 from Eastern/Baltic, 14 from Central/Western countries) were chosen for evaluation. The studies varied in general design, data assessment and parameters and methods applied (especially regarding assessment of nutritional situation, comprising anthropometry, blood lipid profile, dietary nutrient and food intake). Thus, data evaluation by recalculation of raw data had to be restricted to a few distinct, common parameters. Energy intake is too high in both regions, especially in some of the 'younger old' and seems not to be adjusted to energy expenditure. Simultaneously, energy intake was considerably lower than recommended in some very old seniors in Eastern/Baltic countries. Interestingly, quantity and quality of available information is similar in 'new' and 'old' member states. Immense variations in methodology hampered performing reliable comparative evaluation. It is, thus, mandatory to standardize methods for assessment of nutrition and health status for future international multicenter studies. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An epidemiological study of hemodialysis patients based on the European Fresenius Medical Care hemodialysis network: results of the ARO study.

PubMed

de Francisco, Angel L M; Kim, Joseph; Anker, Stefan D; Belozeroff, Vasily; Canaud, Bernard; Chazot, Charles; Drüeke, Tilman B; Eckardt, Kai-Uwe; Floege, Jürgen; Kronenberg, Florian; Macdougall, Iain C; Marcelli, Daniele; Molemans, Bart; Passlick-Deetjen, Jutta; Schernthaner, Guntram; Stenvinkel, Peter; Wheeler, David C; Fouqueray, Bruno; Aljama, Pedro

2011-01-01

ARO, an observational study of hemodialysis (HD) patients in Europe, aims to enhance our understanding of patient characteristics and practice patterns to improve patient outcome. HD patients (n = 8,963) from 134 Fresenius Medical Care facilities treated between 2005 and 2006 were randomly selected from 9 European countries (Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Slovak Republic and Slovenia) and Turkey. Information was captured on demographics, comorbidities, medications, laboratory and dialysis parameters, and outcome. Patients were followed for 1.4 ± 0.7 years. Wide variation by country was observed for age, sex and diabetes as a cause of chronic kidney disease. Cardiovascular disease was present in 73% of patients. Dialysis parameters were homogeneous across countries. Arteriovenous fistulas were frequently used (73%). More incident patients had hemoglobin <11 g/dl than prevalent patients (50 vs. 33%, respectively). Phosphatemia and intact parathyroid hormone were similar between incident and prevalent patients (4.7 ± 1.2 mg/dl and 190 vs. 213 ng/l, respectively). Medication use varied widely by country. In total, 5% of patients underwent renal transplantation. Overall death rate was 124/1,000 patient-years. ARO revealed differences in HD practice patterns and patient characteristics in the 10 participating countries. Future ARO studies will fill gaps in the knowledge about the care of European HD patients. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: School Nutrition Environment and Body Mass Index in Primary Schools

PubMed Central

Wijnhoven, Trudy M.A.; van Raaij, Joop M.A.; Sjöberg, Agneta; Eldin, Nazih; Yngve, Agneta; Kunešová, Marie; Starc, Gregor; Rito, Ana I.; Duleva, Vesselka; Hassapidou, Maria; Martos, Éva; Pudule, Iveta; Petrauskiene, Ausra; Farrugia Sant’Angelo, Victoria; Hovengen, Ragnhild; Breda, João

2014-01-01

Background: Schools are important settings for the promotion of a healthy diet and sufficient physical activity and thus overweight prevention. Objective: To assess differences in school nutrition environment and body mass index (BMI) in primary schools between and within 12 European countries. Methods: Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) were used (1831 and 2045 schools in 2007/2008 and 2009/2010, respectively). School personnel provided information on 18 school environmental characteristics on nutrition and physical activity. A school nutrition environment score was calculated using five nutrition-related characteristics whereby higher scores correspond to higher support for a healthy school nutrition environment. Trained field workers measured children’s weight and height; BMI-for-age (BMI/A) Z-scores were computed using the 2007 WHO growth reference and, for each school, the mean of the children’s BMI/A Z-scores was calculated. Results: Large between-country differences were found in the availability of food items on the premises (e.g., fresh fruit could be obtained in 12%−95% of schools) and school nutrition environment scores (range: 0.30−0.93). Low-score countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania) graded less than three characteristics as supportive. High-score (≥0.70) countries were Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden. The combined absence of cold drinks containing sugar, sweet snacks and salted snacks were more observed in high-score countries than in low-score countries. Largest within-country school nutrition environment scores were found in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania. All country-level BMI/A Z-scores were positive (range: 0.20−1.02), indicating higher BMI values than the 2007 WHO growth reference. With the exception of Norway and Sweden, a country-specific association between the school nutrition environment score and the school BMI/A Z-score was not observed. Conclusions: Some European countries have implemented more school policies that are supportive to a healthy nutrition environment than others. However, most countries with low school nutrition environment scores also host schools with supportive school environment policies, suggesting that a uniform school policy to tackle the “unhealthy” school nutrition environment has not been implemented at the same level throughout a country and may underline the need for harmonized school policies. PMID:25361044

WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: School nutrition environment and body mass index in primary schools.

PubMed

Wijnhoven, Trudy M A; van Raaij, Joop M A; Sjöberg, Agneta; Eldin, Nazih; Yngve, Agneta; Kunešová, Marie; Starc, Gregor; Rito, Ana I; Duleva, Vesselka; Hassapidou, Maria; Martos, Eva; Pudule, Iveta; Petrauskiene, Ausra; Sant'Angelo, Victoria Farrugia; Hovengen, Ragnhild; Breda, João

2014-10-30

Schools are important settings for the promotion of a healthy diet and sufficient physical activity and thus overweight prevention. To assess differences in school nutrition environment and body mass index (BMI) in primary schools between and within 12 European countries. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) were used (1831 and 2045 schools in 2007/2008 and 2009/2010, respectively). School personnel provided information on 18 school environmental characteristics on nutrition and physical activity. A school nutrition environment score was calculated using five nutrition-related characteristics whereby higher scores correspond to higher support for a healthy school nutrition environment. Trained field workers measured children's weight and height; BMI-for-age (BMI/A) Z-scores were computed using the 2007 WHO growth reference and, for each school, the mean of the children's BMI/A Z-scores was calculated. Large between-country differences were found in the availability of food items on the premises (e.g., fresh fruit could be obtained in 12%-95% of schools) and school nutrition environment scores (range: 0.30-0.93). Low-score countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania) graded less than three characteristics as supportive. High-score (≥0.70) countries were Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden. The combined absence of cold drinks containing sugar, sweet snacks and salted snacks were more observed in high-score countries than in low-score countries. Largest within-country school nutrition environment scores were found in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania. All country-level BMI/A Z-scores were positive (range: 0.20-1.02), indicating higher BMI values than the 2007 WHO growth reference. With the exception of Norway and Sweden, a country-specific association between the school nutrition environment score and the school BMI/A Z-score was not observed. Some European countries have implemented more school policies that are supportive to a healthy nutrition environment than others. However, most countries with low school nutrition environment scores also host schools with supportive school environment policies, suggesting that a uniform school policy to tackle the "unhealthy" school nutrition environment has not been implemented at the same level throughout a country and may underline the need for harmonized school policies.

Data Rescue for precipitation station network in Slovak Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasko, Pavel; Bochníček, Oliver; Švec, Marek; Paľušová, Zuzana; Markovič, Ladislav

2016-04-01

Transparency of archive catalogues presents very important task for the data saving. It helps to the further activities e.g. digitalization and homogenization. For the time being visualization of time series continuation in precipitation stations (approximately 1250 stations) is under way in Slovak Republic since the beginning of observation (meteorological stations gradually began to operate during the second half of the 19th century in Slovakia). Visualization is joined with the activities like verification and accessibility of the data mentioned in the archive catalogue, station localization according to the historical annual books, conversion of coordinates into x-JTSK, y-JTSK and hydrological catchment assignment. Clustering of precipitation stations at the specific hydrological catchment in the map and visualization of the data duration (line graph) will lead to the effective assignment of corresponding precipitation stations for the prolongation of time series. This process should be followed by the process of turn or trend detection and homogenization. The risks and problems at verification of records from archive catalogues, their digitalization, repairs and the way of visualization will be seen in poster. During the searching process of the historical and often short time series, we realized the importance of mainly those stations, located in the middle and higher altitudes. They might be used as replacement for up to now quoted fictive points used at the construction of precipitation maps. Supplementing and enhancing the time series of individual stations will enable to follow changes in precipitation totals during the certain period as well as area totals for individual catchments in various time periods appreciated mainly by hydrologists and agro-climatologists.

Stigma and Roma Education Policy Reform in Slovakia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New, William

2012-01-01

This article addresses reform of Roma education in Slovakia against the backdrop of continued stigmatization of Roma students. Transnational NGOs and IGOs promote rights-based solutions leading to the fullest possible inclusion of Roma students in mainstream education. The Slovak state promotes educational policies that lead to the fullest…

'Vacation for your teeth' - dental tourists in Hungary from the perspective of Hungarian dentists.

PubMed

Kovacs, E; Szocska, G

2013-10-01

Hungary has become a popular destination for foreign patients in the last two decades, particularly in dental care. Since 2008, increasing prices in Western Europe coupled with Hungary's accessibility and availability of dental treatment, has meant the country has become a leader in 'dental tourism'. As the quality of care in Hungary is high and prices are more affordable than in Western Europe, and due to the freedom of movement of people, services and goods within the EU, patient flow into Hungary has increased progressively. The aim of this article is to provide comprehensive empirical evidence from the perspective of a recipient country in dental tourism. A questionnaire survey was conducted among Hungarian dentists (n = 273). Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives of dental professional bodies (n = 10). Both research methods aimed to elicit dentists' views on the presence of dental tourism - particularly the push and pull factors (for example, source countries, competitors, information sources, patient motivation). The findings show that there are several reasons why Hungary could maintain a leading position in dental tourism. First, the cost/benefit ratio is outstanding. The affordable price and value for money were already recognised in the early 1990s and were appreciated even before Hungary joined the EU. Secondly, the high quality of Hungary's dental profession: a) dental professionals in Hungary are well-qualified dental practitioners who have received high level dental training; b) dental professional standards are up-to-date and often supervised; c) in Hungary dental technology, the quality of materials and equipment used in dental practices is of European level quality. The rate of complications in dental care is around 5%, similar to other European countries. Finally, previous treatment experiences are positive and patient satisfaction levels are high. More and more patients seek care in Hungary, and more and more patients state that they would be willing to return for further treatment in the future.

[Perception of body weight by pharmacists and pharmaceutical laboratory assistants in Slovakia I].

PubMed

Kolář, Jozef; Zabolyová, Stefánia

2013-10-01

The paper presents the results of a questionnaire poll carried out in the workers in pharmacies in the Slovak Republic in the year 2012. Altogether 1,884 questionnaires were distributed, of which 492 (26.1%) were returned. The poll aimed to find the perception of and attitudes to overweight and obesity in pharmacists and pharmaceutical laboratory assistants. The average BMI values in pharmacists were 25.08, in pharmaceutical laboratory assistants 24.86. Overweight and/or obesity were recorded in 36.6% of respondents, BMI 25 was found in 5.2 % men and 33.7% women. An absence of a chronic disease was reported in 61.8% of respondents, and 38.8% of respondents reported medication - most frequently administration of antihistamines, hormones of the thyroid gland, and antihypertensive drugs. In 220 (44.7%) of respondents, overweight/obesity existed in the family. Physical exercise carried out more than 3 times a week was reported by 9.6% of respondents. Drinking regime was evaluated as good in 52.1% of respondents, and 14.6% of participants compensated stress with food.

Optimization of Typological Requirements for Low-Cost Detached Houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuráň, Jozef

2017-09-01

The presented paper deals with an analysis of the legislative, hygienic, functional and operational requirements for the design of detached houses and individual dwellings in terms of typological requirements. The article also presents a sociological survey about the preferences and subjective requirements of relevant public group segments in terms of living in a detached house or an individual dwelling. The aim of the paper is to define the possibilities for the optimization of typological requirements. The optimization methods are based on principles already applied to contemporary detached house preferences and trends. The main idea is to reduce the amount of floor space, thus lowering construction and operating costs. The goal is to design an optimized floor plan, while preserving the hygienic criteria for individual residential dwellings. By applying optimization methods, a so-called rationalized and conditioned floor plan results in an individual dwelling floor plan design that can be compared to a reference model with an accurate quantification comparison. The significant sources of research are the legislative and normative requirements in the field of house construction in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and abroad.

Analysis of selected fungi variation and its dependence on season and mountain range in southern Poland-key factors in drawing up trial guidelines for aeromycological monitoring.

PubMed

Pusz, Wojciech; Weber, Ryszard; Dancewicz, Andrzej; Kita, Włodzimierz

2017-09-27

The aim of the study was to identify fungal spores, in particular plant pathogenic fungi, occurring in the air in selected mountain ranges. The results revealed not only the array of fungal species migrating with air currents from the Czech Republic and Slovakia but also how the season of the year affects the distribution of spores. Such studies may lay a foundation for future aeromycological monitoring, in accordance with the requirements for integrated plant protection. Aeromycological research was carried out between 2013 and 2016 at 3-month intervals in mountainous areas along the southern borders of Poland: the Bieszczady, the Pieniny, the Giant Mountains (Karkonosze) and the Babia Góra Massif. The research relied on impact method employing Air Ideal 3P sampler, which, by drawing in atmospheric air, also collects fungal spores. Regardless of altitudinal zonation, the changing weather conditions appeared to be the main reason for the variations in the number of the fungal spores under study in those years.

PREFACE: International Workshop on Discovery Physics at the LHC (Kruger2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cleymans, Jean

2013-08-01

The second conference on 'Discovery Physics at the LHC' was held on 3-7 December 2012 at the Kruger Gate Hotel in South Africa. In total there were 110 participants from Armenia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Norway, Poland, USA, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Switzerland and South Africa. The latest results from the Large Hadron Collider, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Jefferson Laboratory and BABAR experiments, as well as the latest theoretical insights were presented. Set against the backdrop of the majestic Kruger National Park a very stimulating conference with many exchanges took place. The proceedings reflect the high standard of the conference. The financial contributions from the National Institute for Theoretical Physics (NITHeP), the SA-CERN programme, the UCT-CERN Research Centre, the University of Johannesburg, the University of the Witwatersrand and iThemba Labs—Laboratory for Accelerator Based Science are gratefully acknowledged. Jean Cleymans Chair of the Local Organizing Committee Local Organizing Committee Oana Boeriu Jean Cleymans Simon H Connell Alan S Cornell William A Horowitz Andre Peshier Trevor Vickey Zeblon Z Vilakazi Group picture

Hungary: A Country Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

investment, Hungary borrowed from abroad, but, because its exports were unable to cover the costs of its hard- currency bor- rowings, the country ran...up a large foreign currency deficit. Con- servatives in the leadership used these problems to win support for the reversal of economic reforms that had...terest rates caused problems for Hungary’s balance of payments. Hungary joined the International Monetary Fund ( IMF -see Glossary) and the World Bank (see

Lesson Plan on Comparative Political Systems: Compare and Contrast the Presidential Election System of the USA to the Parliamentary Election System of Hungary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connell, Daniel W.

This lesson describes the current government of Hungary and its underlying political and electoral systems. The lesson is structured with: (1) background on the parliamentary model of government, political parties, and Hungary's unique electoral system; (2) a summary of the six major political parties in Hungary and voter information for the 1990…

Experience Of Implementing The Integrated Management System In Manufacturing Companies In Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lestyánszka Škůrková, Katarína; Kučerová, Marta; Fidlerová, Helena

2015-06-01

In corporate practice, the term of Integrated Management System means a system the aim of which is to manage an organization regarding the quality, environment, health and safety at work. In the first phase of the VEGA project No. 1/0448/13 "Transformation of ergonomics program into the company management structure through interaction and utilization QMS, EMS, HSMS", we focused on obtaining information about the way or procedure of implementing the integrated management systems in manufacturing companies in Slovakia. The paper considers characteristics of integrated management system, specifies the possibilities for successive integration of the management systems and also describes the essential aspects of the practical implementation of integrated management systems in companies in Slovakia.

Detection of West Nile virus and tick-borne encephalitis virus in birds in Slovakia, using a universal primer set.

PubMed

Csank, Tomáš; Bhide, Katarína; Bencúrová, Elena; Dolinská, Saskia; Drzewnioková, Petra; Major, Peter; Korytár, Ľuboš; Bocková, Eva; Bhide, Mangesh; Pistl, Juraj

2016-06-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne neurotropic pathogen that presents a major public health concern. Information on WNV prevalence and circulation in Slovakia is insufficient. Oral and cloacal swabs and bird brain samples were tested for flavivirus RNA by RT-PCR using newly designed generic primers. The species designation was confirmed by sequencing. WNV was detected in swab and brain samples, whereas one brain sample was positive for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). The WNV sequences clustered with lineages 1 and 2. These results confirm the circulation of WNV in birds in Slovakia and emphasize the risk of infection of humans and horses.

Molecular screening for bacteria and protozoa in great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) nesting in Slovakia, central Europe.

PubMed

Víchová, Bronislava; Reiterová, Katarína; Špilovská, Silvia; Blaňarová, Lucia; Hurníková, Zuzana; Turčeková, Ĺudmila

2016-09-01

This study brings the data about the occurrence of bacterial and protozoan pathogens in 32 great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis), representing approximately 20% of the population nesting in the surroundings of water basin Liptovská Mara (northern part of Central Slovakia). A survey revealed the presence of tick-borne bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum (6.25%) and parasitic protozoa Toxoplasma gondii (3.1%). These data indicate an infectious status of the great cormorant population nesting in Slovakia; they might suggest a degree of environmental contamination by infectious agents and demonstrate the role of migratory seabirds in the circulation and dispersal of pathogens with zoonotic potential.

Budapest, Hungary, Perspective View, SRTM Elevation Model with Landsat Overlay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

After draining the northern flank of the Alps Mountains in Germany and Austria, the Danube River flows east as it enters this west-looking scene (upper right) and forms the border between Slovakia and Hungary. The river then leaves the border as it enters Hungary and transects the Transdanubian Mountains, which trend southwest to northeast. Upon exiting the mountains, the river turns southward, flowing past Budapest (purplish blue area) and along the western margin of the Great Hungarian Plain.

South and west of the Danube, the Transdanubian Mountains have at most only about 400 meters (about 1300 feet) of relief but they exhibit varied landforms, which include volcanic, tectonic, fluvial (river), and eolian (wind) features. A thick deposit of loess (dust deposits likely blown from ancient glacial outwash) covers much of this area, and winds from the northwest, funneled between the Alps and the Carpathian Mountains, are apparently responsible for a radial pattern of erosional streaks across the entire region.

This image was generated from a Landsat satellite image draped over an elevation model produced by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). The view uses a 3-times vertical exaggeration to enhance topographic expression. The false colors of the scene result from displaying Landsat bands 1, 4, and 7 in blue, green, and red, respectively. Band 1 is visible blue light, but bands 4 and 7 are reflected infrared light. This band combination maximizes color contrasts between the major land cover types, namely vegetation (green), bare ground (red), and water (blue). Shading of the elevation model was used to further highlight the topographic features.

Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, DC.

View Size: 133 kilometers (82 miles) wide, 90 kilometers (56 miles) distance Location: 47.5 degrees North latitude, 19.0 degrees East longitude Orientation: Looking West, 15 degrees down from horizontal, 3X vertical exaggeration Image Data: Landsat Bands 1, 4, 7 as blue, green, red respectively Date Acquired: February 2000 (SRTM), October 11, 1990 (Landsat)

Travelling for teeth: characteristics and perspectives of dental care tourism in Hungary.

PubMed

Osterle, A; Balázs, P; Delgado, J

2009-04-25

Despite quite lively debates about dental care tourism, scientific studies into the size and the characteristics of the phenomenon remain widely lacking. The present study is the first to measure the phenomenon in one of the most prominent destination countries, Hungary, with a particular focus on the Western Hungarian region and the capital Budapest. A questionnaire has been sent to dentists in these regions. The response rate is 25.3% in Western Hungary and 20.7% in Budapest. According to the survey, patients from neighbouring countries dominate dental care tourism in the border regions of Western Hungary, while Budapest attracts more patients from countries further away. In terms of motivation, dentists regard relative price levels but also service considerations as being of major importance for patients coming to Hungary for dental care. The study confirms Hungary as a centre for dental care tourism, attracting patients from bordering countries but also patients travelling longer distances. Price levels have been a major factor making Hungary an international treatment destination. With price differences narrowing down, broader service quality is increasingly emphasised as a selling strategy.

Dynamics of forest health status in Slovakia from 1987 to 1994

Treesearch

Julius Oszlanyi

1998-01-01

Slovakia is a mountainous and forested country (40.6 percent forest cover) in central Europe and has a large variety of vegetation zones, forest types, and a rich diversity of forest tree species. The most important tree species are beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.), oak species (Quercus...

Critical and Higher Order Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions in the Slovak Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pisutova-Gerber, Katarina; Malovicova, Jana

2009-01-01

This article describes and analyzes efforts to use collaborative asynchronous discussion forums in a three semester online education program for NGO leaders and managers in Slovakia. Slovakia, as a country with autocratic styles of teacher-centered education, presents strong barriers to the implementation of collaborative learning activities. The…

Hepatozoon canis infection in Slovakia: imported or autochthonous?

PubMed

Majláthová, Viktória; Hurníková, Zuzana; Majláth, Igor; Petko, Branislav

2007-01-01

Tissue samples from nine red foxes (four samples of striated muscle tissue and five samples of heart tissue) that originated from the Michalovce district (Slovakia), an area with endemic occurrence of canine babesiosis were examined by PCR method using primers amplifying a fragment of the 18S rRNA spanning the V4 region of Babesia and Theileria. An unexpected determination of 450 bp DNA fragment of Hepatozoon canis was found in four samples. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene from the H. canis showed 100% similarity with the sequence from Brasil isolate of H. canis from a pampas fox (Pseudalopex gymnocercus) (AY471615) as well as from a fox in Spain (AY150067) and from a dog in Brazil (AY864677). In the present study, we report the first PCR detection of Hepatozoon canis in a naturally infected red fox from Slovakia, a Rhipicephalus sanguineus-free region. We assume that the infection was spread by infected R. sanguineus that might have been brought to Slovakia by travelers, by golden jackals, or by foxes migrating because of expansion of golden jackals and environmental and climate changes.

Enhancing National Security in Hungary through the Development and Employment of Special Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Low Intensity Conflict, Strategy, Hungary, Special Forces 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT Unclassified 18. SECURITY...of Hungary in NATO has brought a penetrating change. As the member of an alliance system, Hungary cannot interpret in an unchanged manner the...more confident that in particular cases, operators will act in ways that the head of the agency would have acted had he or she been in their shoes

A health risk assessment for fluoride in Central Europe.

PubMed

Fordyce, F M; Vrana, K; Zhovinsky, E; Povoroznuk, V; Toth, G; Hope, B C; Iljinsky, U; Baker, J

2007-04-01

Like many elements, fluorine (which generally occurs in nature as fluoride) is beneficial to human health in trace amounts, but can be toxic in excess. The links between low intakes of fluoride and dental protection are well known; however, fluoride is a powerful calcium-seeking element and can interfere with the calcified structure of bones and teeth in the human body at higher concentrations causing dental or skeletal fluorosis. One of the main exposure routes is via drinking water and the World Health Organisation currently sets water quality guidelines for the element. In Central Europe, groundwater resources that exceed the guideline value of 1.5 mg l-1 are widespread and effects on health of high fluoride in water have been reported. The aim of the current project was to develop a geographic information system (GIS) to aid the identification of areas where high-fluoride waters and fluorosis may be a problem; hence, where water treatment technologies should be targeted. The development of the GIS was based upon the collation and digitisation of existing information relevant to fluoride risk in Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary and Slovakia assembled for the first time in a readily accessible form. In addition, geochemistry and health studies to examine in more detail the relationships between high-fluoride drinking waters and health effects in the population were carried out in Moldova and Ukraine demonstrating dental fluorosis prevalence rates of 60-90% in adolescents consuming water containing 2-7 mg l-1 fluoride.

Leisure time physical activity of young women from the Carpathian Euroregion in relation to the Body Mass Index.

PubMed

Zadarko, Emilian; Barabasz, Zbigniew; Nizioł-Babiarz, Edyta; Zadarko Domaradzka, Maraia; Barabasz, Monika; Sobolewski, Marek; Palanska, Andrea; Bergier, Józef; Junger, Jan

2014-01-01

Carpathian Euroregion gathers the population of 5 countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania- the European Union members, as well as Ukraine. Young women are statistically less involved in high-intensity physical activity than young men. The objective of this work was to assess the relation between physical activity of young women aged 18-21 years old and BMI and conditioning factors. The study was conducted between 2010 and 2011 among 2339 women. The Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnarie (MLTPAQ) was applied. It results from the study that 74,2% of young women is considered to have the proper BMI rate (18,5-24,9). As many as 16,2% is considered underweight and almost 10% have higher BMI rate and are overweight. More than one third of respondents did not gain the level of physical activity of 1000 kcal/week, and that is the minimum recommended amount of leisure physical activity time per week. In case of women with low level of physical activity (<1000 kcal), as many as 52% of week activity considered low-intensity activity EEPAlight. The character of changes of the BMI index with reference to the level of physical activity is very similar in the women from towns/cities and the women from villages. An increase of BMI along with the total physical activity was related among all to the increase of free fat mass FFM despite of the level of physical.

[The European countries confronting cancer: a set of indicators assessing public health status].

PubMed

Borella, Laurent

2008-11-01

We now know that efficient public policies for cancer control need to be global and take into account each and all the factors involved: economics and level of development, style of life and risk factors, access to screening, effectiveness of the care-providing system. A very simple scorecard is proposed, based on publicized public health indicators, which allows a comparison between European countries. We extracted 49 indicators from public databases and literature concerning 22 European countries. We made correlation calculations in order to identify relevant indicators from which a global score was extracted. Using a hierarchical clustering method we were then able to identify subsets of homogeneous countries. A 7 indicator scorecard was drawn up: national gross product, scientific production, smoking rate, breast screening participating rate, all cancer mortality rate (male population), 5 years relative survival for colorectal cancer and life expectancy at birth. A global score shows: 1) the better positioned countries: Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and France; 2) the countries where cancer control is less effective: Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Three subsets of countries with a fairly similar profile were identified: a high level of means and results group; a high level of means but a medium level of results group; and a low level of means and results group. This work emphasizes dramatically heterogeneous situations between countries. A follow-up, using a reduced but regularly updated set of public health indicators, would help induce an active European policy for cancer control.

Peculiar transient events in the Schumann resonance band and their possible explanation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ondrásková, Adriena; Bór, József; S[Breve]Evcík, Sebastián; Kostecký, Pavel; Rosenberg, Ladislav

2008-04-01

Superimposed on the continuous Schumann resonance (SR) background in the extremely low frequency (ELF) band, transient signals (e.g. bursts) can be observed, which originate from intense lightning discharges occurring at different locations on the globe. From the many transients that were observed at the Astronomical and Geophysical Observatory (AGO) of Comenius University near Modra, western Slovakia, in the vertical electric field component mainly during May and June of 2006, a peculiar group of events could be recognized. According to the waveform analysis, these peculiar events in most cases consist of two overlapping transients with a characteristic time difference of 0.13-0.15 s between the onsets. On the other hand, the spectrum of these peculiar transients showed discernible SR peaks for higher modes as well (n>7). The same events could be found in the records of the Széchenyi István Geophysical Observatory of the Geodetic and Geophysical Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences near Nagycenk, Hungary (NCK). The natural origin of the peculiar events was verified from the NCK data and the source location was determined from the second transient. The results suggest that the two consecutive transients originated in the same thunderstorm. Furthermore, the phase spectrum analysis indicates that the sources have coherently excited the Earth-ionosphere cavity. These findings seem to support the idea that electromagnetic waves orbiting the Earth might trigger lightning discharges. The possibility that electromagnetic waves may trigger discharges was first considered by Nikola Tesla.

Manpower and portfolio of European ENT.

PubMed

Luxenberger, W; Lahousen, T; Mollenhauer, H; Freidl, W

2014-03-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate highly variable ENT manpower among European countries. A descriptive study design is used. Manpower in medicine is highly variable among European countries. EU and associated countries are keeping officially appointed representatives to the European Union of medical specialists--otorhinolaryngology section (UEMS--ORL section). UEMS--ORL section is running a working group for manpower in ENT collecting data regarding demographics and ENT manpower in European countries. These ENT manpower data are presented in this paper and compared to available data concerning manpower in European medicine in general. To further evaluate these huge differences, representatives of the particular countries were also asked to fill out a questionnaire concerning specifics of ENT healthcare in their country. Furthermore, typical tasks of ENT doctors based on the official UEMS logbook for ENT training were listed and could be rated regarding their frequency, performed in everyday routine of an average ENT doctor of the country. Divergences in doctors/inhabitants ratios were remarkable within European countries, but disparities in ENT manpower were even more so. The ratio of ENT doctors/inhabitants was the lowest in Ireland (1:80,000) and Great Britain (1:65,000). Greece (1:10,000), Italy, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia (1:12,000) were--at the time of the study--the countries with the highest density of ENT doctors. The EU average for 2009 was (1:21,000). The presence of non-surgical working ENT doctors was significantly associated with higher densities of ENT doctors, whereas the necessity of being referred to an ENT doctor (gatekeeping or similar measures) was not. Estimated average waiting times for an appointment in non-urgent, chronic conditions, respectively, diseases were highly variable and predominantly showed a significant correlation to the ENT doctors/inhabitants ratio in the investigated countries. But also for acute conditions like acute hypacusis, dysphonia and hemoptysis, significant differences correlating to the ENT doctors/inhabitants ratio in waiting times for an ENT appointment were found. Estimated frequencies of different ENT tasks in everyday routine were extremely diverse as well, however, without detectable correlations to the ENT doctors/inhabitants ratio. In countries like Great Britain, Ireland, Malta and The Netherlands ENT doctors are primarily seen and serving as surgeons. In most Central European countries like Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, ENT doctors aside of surgery are also dealing with high percentages of conservative medicine, which may include vast fields like the management of Allergology, Phoniatrics, Audiology, etc. In some countries ENT doctors are even playing a significant role in primary health care as well. These various portfolios of ENT may be one explanation for the huge difference in numbers of European ENT manpower.

[Occupational asthma in Hungary].

PubMed

Endre, László

2015-05-10

Occupational asthma belongs to communicable diseases, which should be reported in Hungary. During a 24-year period between January 1990 and December 2013, 180 occupational asthma cases were reported in Hungary (52 cases between 1990 and 1995, 83 cases between 1996 and 2000, 40 cases between 2001 and 2006, and 5 cases between 2007 and 2013). These data are unusual, because according to the official report of the National Korányi Pulmonology Institute in Budapest, at least 14,000 new adult asthma cases were reported in every year between 2000 and 2012 in Hungary. Also, international data indicate that at least 2% of adult patients with asthma have occupational asthma and at least 50 out of 1 million employees develop occupational asthma in each year. In 2003, 631 new occupational asthma patients were reported in the United Kingdom, but only 7 cases in Hungary. Because it is unlikely that the occupational environment in Hungary is much better than anywhere else in the world, it seems that not all new occupational asthma cases are reported in Hungary. Of the 180 reported cases in Hungary, 55 were bakers or other workers in flour mills. There were 11 metal-workers, 10 health care assistants, 9 workers dealing with textiles (tailors, dressmakers, workers in textile industry) and 9 employees worked upon leather and animal fur. According to international data, the most unsafe profession is the animal keeper in scientific laboratories, but only 4 of them were reported as having occupational asthma during the studied 24 years in Hungary. Interestingly, 3 museologists with newly-diagnosed occupational asthma were reported in 2003, but not such cases occurred before or after that year. In this paper the Hungarian literature of occupational asthma is summarized, followed by a review on the classification, pathomechanism, clinical presentation, predisposing factors, diagnostics and therapeutic aspects of the disease. Epidemiological data of adult asthma in Hungary and data from international studies on the occurrence of occupational asthma are also presented. Finally, the author draws attention to the low reporting activity of occupational asthma in Hungary and discusses the possible causes why this communicable disease is rarely reported.

Holocaust Education in the "Black Hole of Europe": Slovakia's Identity Politics and History Textbooks Pre- and Post-1989

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaels, Deborah L.

2013-01-01

Holocaust education in Slovakia stands at the confluence of diverse discourses of state and supra-national legitimation. Principles of national self-determination, minority rights, and political ideologies inform and lend credence to how Slovaks' national and state identities are narrated in Slovak history textbooks. For small nation-states with…

Trying to Include but Supporting Exclusion Instead? Constructing the Roma in Slovak Educational Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miškolci, Jozef; Kovácová, Lucia; Kubánová, Martina

2017-01-01

Based on a social constructivist theoretical framework, this research study examines how the design of proinclusive educational policies and the general public construct the Roma students and parents in Slovakia. For this purpose, data from two selected educational policies and five focus groups conducted in five regions in Slovakia were analyzed.…

Preliminary results on predation of gypsy moth egg masses in Slovakia

Treesearch

Marek Turcani; Andrew Liebhold; Michael McManus; Julius Novotny

2003-01-01

Predation of gypsy moth egg masses was studied in Slovakia from 1999-2002. Predation on naturally laid egg masses was recorded and linear regression was used to test the hypothesis that predation follows a type II vs. type III functional response. We also investigated the role of egg mass predation in gypsy moth population dynamics. The relative contribution of...

Curricular Transformation of Education in the Field of Physical and Sport Education in Slovakia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bendíková, Elena

2016-01-01

The study presents basic information on the curricular transformation of physical and sport education in Slovakia after the year 1989, which is related to the education process in the 21st century. What is more, it points to the basis for modern transformation in relation to sports as well as to insufficient undergraduate teacher training and its…

Beware of the Dog! Private Linguistic Landscapes in Two "Hungarian" Villages in South-West Slovakia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laihonen, Petteri

2016-01-01

This study demonstrates how a single type of sign can be connected to language policy on a larger scale. Focusing on the relationship between language policy and language ideologies, I investigate the private Linguistic Landscape (LL) of Hungarians living in two villages in Slovakia. Through an examination of "beware of the dog" signs,…

Museology as a University Subject in Slovakia: History, Program and Course Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tišliar, Pavol

2017-01-01

This paper examines the development of museum studies and museology as a field of scientific inquiry and a university course in Slovakia. First I examine the role of memory institutions in the formation of this field in response to the need for the specialized education of their staff and describe the fundamentals and the development of program…

Teaching Translation and Interpreting in Slovakia: Is There Anything Other than Levý and Popovic?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biloveský, Vladimír; Djovcoš, Martin

2016-01-01

Institutional translation and interpreting training has a long lasting tradition in Slovakia mainly thanks to such significant translation scholars as Anton Popovic, František Miko, Ján Vilikovský and many others. However the situation has changed after the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and the education needed to start adapting to the new market…

ICSBEP Benchmarks For Nuclear Data Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Briggs, J. Blair

2005-05-24

The International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) was initiated in 1992 by the United States Department of Energy. The ICSBEP became an official activity of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) -- Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in 1995. Representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Japan, the Russian Federation, Hungary, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro (formerly Yugoslavia), Kazakhstan, Spain, Israel, Brazil, Poland, and the Czech Republic are now participating. South Africa, India, China, and Germany are considering participation. The purpose of the ICSBEP is to identify, evaluate, verify, and formally document a comprehensive andmore » internationally peer-reviewed set of criticality safety benchmark data. The work of the ICSBEP is published as an OECD handbook entitled ''International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments.'' The 2004 Edition of the Handbook contains benchmark specifications for 3331 critical or subcritical configurations that are intended for use in validation efforts and for testing basic nuclear data. New to the 2004 Edition of the Handbook is a draft criticality alarm / shielding type benchmark that should be finalized in 2005 along with two other similar benchmarks. The Handbook is being used extensively for nuclear data testing and is expected to be a valuable resource for code and data validation and improvement efforts for decades to come. Specific benchmarks that are useful for testing structural materials such as iron, chromium, nickel, and manganese; beryllium; lead; thorium; and 238U are highlighted.« less

Trends in cancer mortality in the European Union and accession countries, 1980-2000.

PubMed

Levi, F; Lucchini, F; Negri, E; Zatonski, W; Boyle, P; La Vecchia, C

2004-09-01

Cancer mortality rates and trends over the period 1980-2000 for accession countries to the European Union (EU) in May 2004, which include a total of 75 million inhabitants, were abstracted from the World Health Organization (WHO) database, together with, for comparative purposes, those of the current EU. Total cancer mortality for men was 166/100,000 in the EU, but ranged between 195 (Lithuania) and 269/100,000 (Hungary) in central and eastern European accession countries. This excess related to most cancer sites, including lung and other tobacco-related neoplasms, but also stomach, intestines and liver, and a few neoplasms amenable to treatment, such as testis, Hodgkin's disease and leukaemias. Overall cancer mortality for women was 95/100,000 in the EU, and ranged between 100 and 110/100,000 in several central and eastern European countries, and up to 120/100,000 in the Czech Republic and 138/100,000 in Hungary. The latter two countries had a substantial excess in female mortality for lung cancer, but also for several other sites. Furthermore, for stomach and especially (cervix) uteri, female rates were substantially higher in central and eastern European accession countries. Over the last two decades, trends in mortality were systematically less favourable in accession countries than in the EU. Most of the unfavourable patterns and trends in cancer mortality in accession countries are due to recognised, and hence potentially avoidable, causes of cancer, including tobacco, alcohol, dietary habits, pollution and hepatitis B, plus inadequate screening, diagnosis and treatment. Consequently, the application of available knowledge on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment may substantially reduce the disadvantage now registered in the cancer mortality of central and eastern European accession countries.

Creating of Central Geospatial Database of the Slovak Republic and Procedures of its Revision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miškolci, M.; Šafář, V.; Šrámková, R.

2016-06-01

The article describes the creation of initial three dimensional geodatabase from planning and designing through the determination of technological and manufacturing processes to practical using of Central Geospatial Database (CGD - official name in Slovak language is Centrálna Priestorová Databáza - CPD) and shortly describes procedures of its revision. CGD ensures proper collection, processing, storing, transferring and displaying of digital geospatial information. CGD is used by Ministry of Defense (MoD) for defense and crisis management tasks and by Integrated rescue system. For military personnel CGD is run on MoD intranet, and for other users outside of MoD is transmutated to ZbGIS (Primary Geodatabase of Slovak Republic) and is run on public web site. CGD is a global set of geo-spatial information. CGD is a vector computer model which completely covers entire territory of Slovakia. Seamless CGD is created by digitizing of real world using of photogrammetric stereoscopic methods and measurements of objects properties. Basic vector model of CGD (from photogrammetric processing) is then taken out to the field for inspection and additional gathering of objects properties in the whole area of mapping. Finally real-world objects are spatially modeled as a entities of three-dimensional database. CGD gives us opportunity, to get know the territory complexly in all the three spatial dimensions. Every entity in CGD has recorded the time of collection, which allows the individual to assess the timeliness of information. CGD can be utilized for the purposes of geographical analysis, geo-referencing, cartographic purposes as well as various special-purpose mapping and has the ambition to cover the needs not only the MoD, but to become a reference model for the national geographical infrastructure.

Regional Development Planning in the Slovak Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rentková, Katarína

2017-10-01

Regional development is very closely related to a region and its competitive advantages which affect the competitiveness of the region. The regional development is influenced by many factors that act differently depending on the region. To ensure the effective and harmonized regional development, the systematic approach is needed. Every region is unique and differs from the other by the level of economic development, living standards of its inhabitants, unemployment rate and by employment possibilities. Regional policy is a strategic investment policy which focuses on all regions and cities in the European Union. The aim is to boost economic growth and to improve the quality of people’s lives. Solidarity is the main feature of the policy, because policy focuses on support for less developed regions. A fundamental aspect of regional development is to reduce disparities between the regions and cities. The paper focuses on the analysis of regional development of Slovakia. The intention is to follow the logical continuity of the article’s parts, the correctness and the adequacy of information and data. First part is focused on the definition of the regional policy and regional development. Important task is to identify the differences between European policies - regional, structural and cohesion policy. This section is prepared by using the analytical methods - the analysis, the casual and historical analysis. This part is based on literature review. The empirical part is based on statistics and secondary analysis which were aimed to analyse the regional development and effectiveness of its planning in the Slovak Republic. The question of this article is whether it is possible to plan the regional development by application of the plan for economic and social development, called the Municipal Development Plan.

The extreme drought episode of August 2011-May 2012: A scenario for future droughts in Central Europe?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahradníček, P.; Trnka, M.; Brázdil, R.; Mozny, M.; Stepanek, P.; Hlavinka, P.; Malý, A.; Dubrovsky, M.

2014-12-01

The weather conditions from August 2011 to May 2012 produced an extreme drought in the eastern Czech Republic (Moravia), whereas the patterns were nearly normal in its western region (Bohemia). The Southern and Central Moravia regions, which represent the most important agricultural areas, were most affected by the drought. The precipitation totals for the studied period were 50% to 70% of the long-term mean, which was calculated for 1961-2000. In autumn 2011, the total precipitation accounted for 10% to 30% of the long-term mean for most of Moravia, increasing to 30% to 50% in spring 2012. Moreover, 7.5% of the Czech Republic experienced a 100-year drought; 20% of the country experienced a 20-year drought. According to the Palmer Drought Severity Index, the 2012 drought was classified as the worst in the past 130 years. The drought patterns were related to the prevailing high-pressure systems over Central Europe and the occurrence of weather types with different precipitation amounts in Bohemia and Moravia. The most substantial drought effects occurred in the agricultural sector. A decrease in cereal yields was observed in the analyzed production areas in Moravia, which was unprecedented in the past 52 years. Moreover, winter crops were affected more than spring crops. An increased risk of fire occurred due to the drought conditions; the largest forest fire in the past 15 years was recorded during this period. Furthermore, signs of hydrological drought were also reported in rivers. The 2011-2012 drought was compared with the significant droughts in 2000, 2003 and 2007. Austria and Slovakia, which neighbor the Czech Republic, experienced a similar drought. This drought analysis can be used as a scenario for future droughts and their impacts in Central Europe due to the global warming projected by GCMs.Acknowledgements:This study was made possible by the generous support of the "Establishment of International Scientific Team Focused on Drought Research" project (no. OP VK CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0248).

Disparities of Potential Gains in Life Expectancy Development between the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Vagašová, Tatiana; Gavurová, Beáta

2017-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to determine how many years a person could be expected to live if a specific cause of death was eliminated, and to compare potential gains in life expectancy (PGLEs) between Slovakia (SVK) and the Czech Republic (CZE). PGLEs were computed from mortality reports (1996-2013) for deaths from the main groups of chronic diseases, namely ischaemic heart disease (IHD), cerebrovascular diseases (CVD), cancer (CA), diabetes mellitus (DM), and chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) for the Slovak and Czech populations in five-year age groups. Country comparative analysis was conducted by constructing rate ratios of PGLEs. In 2013, life expectancy at birth for the Slovak and Czech populations was 76.5 and 78.3 years. Overall trends of standardised mortality rates of chronic diseases roughly paralleled the PGLEs trend. During 1996-2013, SVK reported the highest PGLEs of IHD at an average of 4.54 years, compared to PGLEs of CA reaching a value of 3.61 years in CZE. The PGLEs of IHD showed the largest gap between SVK and CZE, with an average of 1.65 higher values in SVK. With the elimination of CVD as the third most influential disease in both countries, PGLEs decreased from 1.65 to 0.93 years in CZE; a negligible drop from 1.13 to 1.05 was recorded in SVK. The lowest impacts on life expectancy were recorded in DM and CRD. However, since 2005 these trends have deteriorated in CZE. In 2013, IHD had a similar impact on life expectancy in all age groups in SVK and a decreasing impact among 50-54 year olds in CZE. Similarly to SVK, people in CZE aged 45-49 could gain 0.94 years in LE after CVD elimination, which is nearly the same as at birth. The higher the life expectancy after elimination of the cause of death is, the higher the impact of the disease on life expectancy. Health prevention programs should be mainly aimed at CA mortality in CZE, while the highest burden of IHD is seen in SVK. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2017.

Usutu virus: an emerging flavivirus in Europe.

PubMed

Ashraf, Usama; Ye, Jing; Ruan, Xindi; Wan, Shengfeng; Zhu, Bibo; Cao, Shengbo

2015-01-19

Usutu virus (USUV) is an African mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis virus serocomplex. USUV is closely related to Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and West Nile virus. USUV was discovered in South Africa in 1959. In Europe, the first true demonstration of circulation of USUV was reported in Austria in 2001 with a significant die-off of Eurasian blackbirds. In the subsequent years, USUV expanded to neighboring countries, including Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland, England, Czech Republic, Greece, and Belgium, where it caused unusual mortality in birds. In 2009, the first two human cases of USUV infection in Europe have been reported in Italy, causing meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. This review describes USUV in terms of its life cycle, USUV surveillance from Africa to Europe, human cases, its cellular tropism and pathogenesis, its genetic relationship with other flaviviruses, genetic diversity among USUV strains, its diagnosis, and a discussion of the potential future threat to Asian countries.

Preliminary results on predation of gypsy moth pupae during a period of latency in Slovakia

Treesearch

Marek Turcani; Andrew M. Liebhold; Michael McManus; J& #250; lius Novotn& #253

2003-01-01

Predation of gypsy moth pupae was studied from 2000 -2003 in Slovakia. Predation on artificially reared pupae was recorded and linear regression was used to test the hypothesis that predation follows a type II vs. type III functional response. The role of pupal predation in gypsy moth population dynamics was also investigated. The relative importance of predation of...

International Survey in Eight Countries about Teachers and Teaching Profession: Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, Libya, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, United States of America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chistolini, Sandra

2010-01-01

An international team of experts from Belgium, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and the USA employed a questionnaire to identify the deontology of teachers from infant to secondary school in eight countries. The survey was implemented between 2004 and 2007. The socio-cultural concept of "Verstehen" (understanding) as described in the work…

Analysis of Hydropower Potential Utilization of Watercourses in Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gejguš, Mirko; Aschbacher, Christine; Sablik, Jozef

2017-09-01

This article analyzes the hydropower potential of watercourses in Slovakia, defining water as the most promising and most used renewable energy source. The hydro-energetic potential as a source of energy is determined by the calculation of the technically feasible potential of the watercourses, which is divided into exploited and unused. It also identifies the potential of utilizing the unused technical hydro-energetic potential.

Post-socialist forest disturbance in the Carpathian border region of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

PubMed

Kuemmerle, Tobias; Hostert, Patrick; Radeloff, Volker C; Perzanowski, Kajetan; Kruhlov, Ivan

2007-07-01

Forests provide important ecosystem services, and protected areas around the world are intended to reduce human disturbance on forests. The question is how forest cover is changing in different parts of the world, why some areas are more frequently disturbed, and if protected areas are effective in limiting anthropogenic forest disturbance. The Carpathians are Eastern Europe's largest contiguous forest ecosystem and are a hotspot of biodiversity. Eastern Europe has undergone dramatic changes in political and socioeconomic structures since 1990, when socialistic state economies transitioned toward market economies. However, the effects of the political and economic transition on Carpathian forests remain largely unknown. Our goals were to compare post-socialist forest disturbance and to assess the effectiveness of protected areas in the border triangle of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine, to better understand the role of broadscale political and socioeconomic factors. Forest disturbances were assessed using the forest disturbance index derived from Landsat MSS/TM/ETM+ images from 1978 to 2000. Our results showed increased harvesting in all three countries (up to 1.8 times) in 1988-1994, right after the system change. Forest disturbance rates differed markedly among countries (disturbance rates in Ukraine were 4.5 times higher than in Poland, and those in Slovakia were 4.3 times higher than in Poland), and in Ukraine, harvests tended to occur at higher elevations. Forest fragmentation increased in all three countries but experienced a stronger increase in Slovakia and Ukraine (approximately 5% decrease in core forest) than in Poland. Protected areas were most effective in Poland and in Slovakia, where harvesting rates dropped markedly (by nearly an order of magnitude in Slovakia) after protected areas were designated. In Ukraine, harvesting rates inside and outside protected areas did not differ appreciably, and harvests were widespread immediately before the designation of protected areas. In summary, the socioeconomic changes in Eastern Europe that occurred since 1990 had strong effects on forest disturbance. Differences in disturbance rates among countries appear to be most closely related to broadscale socioeconomic conditions, forest management practices, forest policies, and the strength of institutions. We suggest that such factors may be equally important in other regions of the world.

Long-term variability and changes in thunderstorm induced extreme precipitation in Slovakia over 1951-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecho, J.; Faško, P.; Bližák, V.; Kajaba, P.; Košálová, J.; Bochníček, O.; Lešková, L.

2012-04-01

It is well known that extreme precipitation associated with intensive rains, in summer induced mostly by local thunderstorm activity, could cause very significant problems in economical and social spheres of the countries. Heavy precipitation and consecutive flash-floods are the most serious weather-related hazards over the territory of Slovakia. The extreme precipitation analyses play a strategic role in many climatological and hydrological evaluations designed for the wide range of technical and engineering applications as well as climate change impact assessments. A thunderstorm, as a violent local storm produced by a cumulonimbus cloud and accompanied by thunder and lightning, represents extreme convective activity in the atmosphere depending upon the release of latent heat, by the condensation of water vapor, for most of its energy. Under the natural conditions of Slovakia the incidence of thunderstorms has been traditionally concentrated in the summer or warm half-year (Apr.-Sept.), but increasing air temperature resulting in higher water vapor content and more intense short-term precipitation is associated with more frequent thunderstorm occurrence in early spring as well as autumn. It is the main reason why the studies of thunderstorm phenomena have increased in Slovakia in recent years. It was found that thunderstorm occurrence, in terms of incidence of storm days, has profoundly changed particularly in spring season (~ 30 % in April and May). The present contribution is devoted to verifying the hypothesis that recently the precipitation has been more intense and significant shifts in seasonal incidence have occurred in particular regions in Slovakia. On the basis of the 60-year (1951-2010) meteorological observation series obtained from more than 20 synoptic stations, the analysis of trends and long-term variability of the days with thunderstorms and the accompanying precipitation for seasons was undertaken. Contribution also attempts to explain the main causes of the thunderstorm as well as extreme precipitation variability. Furthermore, differentiation of daily sums of precipitation for the days with thunderstorms, their long-term variability and probability of occurrence is also presented. Key words: thunderstorm occurrence, trend analysis, extreme precipitation, day with thunderstorm, climate change, climate variability, Slovakia

Research in Foreign Language Education in Hungary (2006-2012)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medgyes, Péter; Nikolov, Marianne

2014-01-01

In the past quarter century, Hungary has offered fertile ground for innovative developments in foreign language (FL) education. The appropriate, albeit disparaging, label applied to Hungary in the mid-1970s--"a land of foreign language illiterates" (Köllo 1978: 6)--no longer applies. In the wake of the dramatic changes of 1989, the…

Subjective Poverty and Its Relation to Objective Poverty Concepts in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nandori, Eszter Siposne

2011-01-01

The paper analyzes subjective poverty in Hungary and compares it to the objective poverty concepts. Subjective poverty is defined by examining who people consider to be poor. Based on the Easterlin paradox, the initial hypothesis states that subjective and absolute poverty concepts are highly correlated. Taking into account that Hungary is a…

Roof top extensions for multifamily houses in Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szekeres, K.

2010-12-01

In the countries of the European Union with the exception of Malta, approximately 100.1 million multifamily dwelling units are situated. These dwellings count for an average of 47.5% of the total housing stock in European Union countries. At present in Slovakia and also other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, there are vast housing areas which were built after World War II. Slovakia's multifamily housing stock was privatized during the 1990s. Considering that the economy of Slovakia is not capable of replacing the existing housing fund, which is located in the multifamily houses that were built after World War II, it is necessary to place an increased emphasis on the renovation of this housing fund. The expenditures for the refurbishment of multifamily housing stock in recent decades, when compared with the demand, have been at a very low level. The main problems involving the current multifamily housing stock in Slovakia are: the need for modernization, the low level of energy efficiency, and the insufficient level of building maintenance. One of the options for creating sufficient sources for the renovation of apartment buildings is to utilize the roofs of apartment buildings as construction areas for building additional floors (over - roofing). The means acquired from the sale of the new floors after deducting the costs can be used for renovation. It is a matter of a one-time possibility, which is limited by many factors that depend on the localization and constructive technical solutions for apartment buildings. This article is an outcome of the SuReFit "Sustainable Roof Extension Retrofit for High-Rise Social Housing in Europe" international research project.

Recent archaeomagnetic studies in Slovakia: Comparison of methodological approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubišová, Lenka

2016-03-01

We review the recent archaeomagnetic studies carried out on the territory of Slovakia, focusing on the comparison of methodological approaches, discussing pros and cons of the individual applied methods from the perspective of our experience. The most widely used methods for the determination of intensity and direction of the archaeomegnetic field by demagnetisation of the sample material are the alternating field (AF) demagnetisation and the Thellier double heating method. These methods are used not only for archaeomagnetic studies but also help to solve some geological problems. The two methods were applied to samples collected recently at several sites of Slovakia, where archaeological prospection invoked by earthwork or reconstruction work of developing projects demanded archaeomagnetic dating. Then we discuss advantages and weaknesses of the investigated methods from different perspectives based on several examples and our recent experience.

Sign Language Culture as Part of Multiculturalism in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarolta, Simigne Fenyo

2011-01-01

The objective of the present study is to investigate sign language culture as part of multiculturalism in Hungary. The study consists of two parts. Referring to the 13 national and linguistic minorities living in the territory of Hungary, the first part gives a short account of the narrower interpretation of multiculturalism according to which it…

Governing through Early Childhood Curriculum, "the Child," and "Community": Ideologies of Socialist Hungary and Neoliberal Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millei, Zsuzsa

2011-01-01

This article examines the role of state ideology in the formation of kindergarten curriculum documents in socialist Hungary during the 1970s and in contemporary neoliberal Australia. The study explores two landmark curriculum documents, of Hungary and Australia, respectively, comparing the ways in which "the child" is conceptualized in…

Advertising and Public Relations in Transition from Communism: The Case of Hungary, 1989-1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiebert, Ray E.

1994-01-01

Discusses the gradual rise of free print media, Western-style advertising and marketing, and limited public relations in Hungary in its first four years of democracy (1990-94). Notes how Hungary's first democratically elected government failed to understand the public relations implications of a free press, made one public relations mistake after…

Spatial distribution of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Hepatozoon canis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary.

PubMed

Tolnai, Z; Sréter-Lancz, Z; Sréter, T

2015-07-01

In recent years, Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus were reported from Hungary. The aim of the present study was to reveal the spatial distribution pattern of pathogens transmitted by R. sanguineus in a sentinel species, red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary and to analyse the relationship of these patterns with landscape and climate by geographical information systems. Fox carcasses, representing 0.5% of the total fox population were randomly selected out of all the foxes of Hungary. The spleen samples of the animals were tested by real-time PCR for Anaplasma platys, Babesia vogeli, E. canis and H. canis infection. Positive results were confirmed by conventional PCR followed by sequencing. The prevalence of H. canis infection was 22.2% (95% CI=18.4-26.4%), and this parasite was detected in all areas including the mountain regions of Hungary. These findings indicate that other tick species or other transmission routes (oral and transplacental) might be in the background of the countrywide distribution of H. canis. Anaplasma platys was not found; nevertheless, the prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection transmitted by Ixodes ricinus was 12.5% (95% CI=9.7-16.1%) in foxes. B. vogeli and E. canis infection was not detected. There was no correlation between environmental parameter values in the home range of foxes and A. phagocytophilum or H. canis infection, which is in line with that observed in the case of tick species infesting foxes in Hungary. The results of this study indicate that R. sanguineus, if present, might be rare in Hungary. Our baseline study can be used for future evaluation of the effect of climate change on the spreading and emergence of R. sanguineus transmitted pathogens in Hungary. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Community response to noise: research in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States.

PubMed

Jeram, Sonja; Lekaviciute, Jurgita; Krukle, Zanda; Argalasova-Sobotova, Lubica; Ristovska, Gordana; Paunovic, Katarina; Pawlaczyk-Luszczynska, Malgorzata

2013-01-01

The systems of public complaints on environmental noise were reviewed in seven countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South-East Europe (SEE), and Newly Independent States (NIS). Public complaints remain an important issue due to differences in public sensitivity to noise and due to several cases where a measurement of noise intensity does not give a satisfying solution to the problem. The unresolved problem remaining in the residential neighborhoods is the noise from pubs and restaurants that are open until late in the night. In our review, we compiled information on the institutions responsible for the implementation of environmental noise legislation and organizations that are responsible for dealing with public complaints. Information on activities for increasing public awareness on hazards rising from environmental noise and the role of civil initiative was explored. In seven countries, and among them, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Poland, the responsibilities and duties are shared among different institutions at national and regional levels, depending on the noise source. The problem of gathering information on complaints and using it for improving the wellbeing and health of citizens remains often difficult and unsolved.

Analysis of forensically used autosomal short tandem repeat markers in Polish and neighboring populations.

PubMed

Soltyszewski, Ireneusz; Plocienniczak, Andrzej; Fabricius, Hans Ake; Kornienko, Igor; Vodolazhsky, Dmitrij; Parson, Walther; Hradil, Roman; Schmitter, Hermann; Ivanov, Pavel; Kuzniar, Piotr; Malyarchuk, Boris A; Grzybowski, Tomasz; Woźniak, Marcin; Henke, Jurgen; Henke, Lotte; Olkhovets, Sergiv; Voitenko, Vladimir; Lagus, Vita; Ficek, Andrej; Minárik, Gabriel; de Knijff, Peter; Rebała, Krzysztof; Wysocka, Joanna; Kapińska, Ewa; Cybulska, Lidia; Mikulich, Alexei I; Tsybovsky, Iosif S; Szczerkowska, Zofia; Krajewski, Paweł; Ploski, Rafał

2008-06-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the homogeneity of Polish populations with respect to STRs chosen as core markers of the Polish Forensic National DNA Intelligence Database, and to provide reference allele frequencies and to explore the genetic interrelationship between Poland and neighboring countries. The allele frequency distribution of 10 STRs included in the SGMplus kit was analyzed among 2176 unrelated individuals from 6 regional Polish populations and among 4321 individuals from Germany (three samples), Austria, The Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federation (six samples). The statistical approach consisted of AMOVA, calculation of pairwise Rst values and analysis by multidimensional scaling. We found homogeneity of present day Poland and consistent differences between Polish and German populations which contrasted with relative similarities between Russian and German populations. These discrepancies between genetic and geographic distances were confirmed by analysis of an independent data set on Y chromosome STRs. Migrations of Goths, Viking influences, German settlements in the region of Volga river and/or forced population resettlements and other events related to World War II are the historic events which might have caused these finding.

Test-retest reliability of the scale of participation in organized activities among adolescents in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

PubMed

Bosakova, Lucia; Kolarcik, Peter; Bobakova, Daniela; Sulcova, Martina; Van Dijk, Jitse P; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Geckova, Andrea Madarasova

2016-04-01

Participation in organized activities is related with a range of positive outcomes, but the way such participation is measured has not been scrutinized. Test-retest reliability as an important indicator of a scale's reliability has been assessed rarely and for "The scale of participation in organized activities" lacks completely. This test-retest study is based on the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study and is consistent with its methodology. We obtained data from 353 Czech (51.9 % boys) and 227 Slovak (52.9 % boys) primary school pupils, grades five and nine, who participated in this study in 2013. We used Cohen's kappa statistic and single measures of the intraclass correlation coefficient to estimate the test-retest reliability of all selected items in the sample, stratified by gender, age and country. We mostly observed a large correlation between the test and retest in all of the examined variables (κ ranged from 0.46 to 0.68). Test-retest reliability of the sum score of individual items showed substantial agreement (ICC = 0.64). The scale of participation in organized activities has an acceptable level of agreement, indicating good reliability.

Monitoring the Error Rate of Modern Methods of Construction Based on Wood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Švajlenka, Jozef; Kozlovská, Mária

2017-06-01

A range of new and innovative construction systems, currently developed, represent modern methods of construction (MMC), which has the ambition to improve the performance parameters of buildings throughout their life cycle. Regarding the implementation modern methods of construction in Slovakia, assembled buildings based on wood seem to be the most preferred construction system. In the study, presented in the paper, were searched already built and lived-in wood based family houses. The residents' attitudes to such type of buildings in the context with declared designing and qualitative parameters of efficiency and sustainability are overlooked. The methodology of the research study is based on the socio-economic survey carried out during the years 2015 - 2017 within the Slovak Republic. Due to the large extent of data collected through questionnaire, only selected parts of the survey results are evaluated and discussed in the paper. This paper is aimed at evaluating the quality of buildings expressed in a view of users of existing wooden buildings. Research indicates some defects, which can be eliminated in the next production process. Research indicates, that some defects occur, so the production process quality should be improved in the future development.

Executive Functioning in Three Groups of Pupils in D-KEFSs: Selected Issues in Adapting the Test Battery for Slovakia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferjencík, Ján; Slavkovská, Miriam; Kresila, Juraj

2015-01-01

The paper reports on the adaptation of a D-KEFS test battery for Slovakia. Drawing on concrete examples, it describes and illustrates the key issues relating to the transfer of test items from one socio-cultural environment to another. The standardisation sample of the population of Slovak pupils in the fourth year of primary school included 250…

[Genetic polymorphism in sparteine oxidation--occurrence in healthy volunteers in Slovakia].

PubMed

Holomán, J; Glasa, J; Veningerová, M; Prachar, V; Lukácsová, M

1997-02-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the occurrence of the phenotype of poor metabolizers of sparteine (in the frame of sparteine-debrisoquine-dextromethorphane polymorphism) in Slovakia. The authors examined a group of 216 of healthy volunteers (73 women and 143 men, average age of the group 24, 9 +/- 0.4 years), university students coming from various regions of Slovakia. The test substance-sparteine (1 x 100 mg tbl.) was administered perorally to all probands, in the evening after fasting. A 12-hour gathering of urine was subsequently performed. A sample of urine was subdued to examination. Isolation, separation, identification and assessment of the concentration of sparteine and its metabolites (2- and 5-dehydrosparteine) were performed by the method of gas chromatography. The metabolic MR ratio calculated from the ratio of the detected concentrations of sparteine and (2- and 5-dehydrosparteine) served for the assessment of the phenotype of poor (MR > 20), or rapid (MR < 20) metabolizers of sparteine in 8 authors found the poor metabolizer phenotype of 216 examined probands (i.e. in 3.75%). Its prevalence of the presented phenotype was lower than that anticipated on the basis of epidemiologic studies performed in other European countries. Study represents the first data on the phenotype of poor sparteine metabolizers in Slovakia. (Tab. 4, Fig. 1, Ref. 24.)

Projects Submitted by Participants of the Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2000 (Poland and Hungary).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2000

These curriculum projects were developed by participants of the Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program in Poland and Hungary during the summer of 2000. The following 11 projects are in the collection: "A Thematic Multicultural Interactive School Event on Poland and Hungary: Exploration and Learning for 6-to-9-Year-Olds" (Ruth Albert);…

Recent Trends in Fertility and Mortality in Hungary: A Curriculum Unit. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 1998 (Hungary/Poland).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behr, Michelle

This curriculum unit, suitable for advanced placement high school courses or introductory level college courses, explores Hungarian fertility and mortality rates and their social and economic consequences. Students are required to map, graph, analyze, and summarize demographic data to examine population trends in Hungary in the post-World War 2…

Covariates of Current Cigarette Smoking among Secondary School Students in Budapest, Hungary, 1999

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easton, Alyssa; Kiss, Eva

2005-01-01

To date, few studies have examined the relationship between health behavior risk factors and cigarette smoking in Hungary. From 1995 to 1999, the prevalence of current smoking increased from 35.9 to 46.0% among secondary students in Budapest, Hungary. The objective of the present study was to examine the association between smoking and other…

Dimorphic cycle in Candida citri sp. nov., a novel yeast species isolated from rotting fruit in Borneo.

PubMed

Sipiczki, Matthias

2011-03-01

Five dimorphic yeast strains were isolated from rotting lime fruits in Borneo. The sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA genes, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) chromosomal regions and the 18S rRNA genes were identical in the isolates and differed from the corresponding sequences of all known yeast species. Based on the sequence differences (12-15% in the D1/D2 domain) from the closest relatives and the different pattern of taxonomic traits, the new isolates are assigned the status of a new species, for which the name Candida citri sp. nov. is proposed. Its type strain is 11-469(T) , which has been deposited in Centralbureau voor Schimmelcultures (Utrecht, the Netherlands) as CBS 11858(T) , Culture Collection of Yeasts (Bratislava, Slovakia) as CCY 29-181-1(T) and the National Collection of Agricultural and Industrial Microorganisms (Budapest, Hungary) as NCAIM Y.01978(T) . MycoBank number: MB 519100. The GenBank accession numbers for nucleotide sequences of its D1/D2 domain, ITS and 18S regions are HM803241, HM803242 and HM803243, respectively. Candida citri produces invasive mycelium composed of true septate hyphae that grow towards nutrient-rich parts of the medium and develop large vacuoles at the nongrowing ends of their cells. The hyphae produce blastoconidia, which can establish satellite yeast colonies in the invaded solid substrate. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative determination and classification of energy drinks using near-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Rácz, Anita; Héberger, Károly; Fodor, Marietta

2016-09-01

Almost a hundred commercially available energy drink samples from Hungary, Slovakia, and Greece were collected for the quantitative determination of their caffeine and sugar content with FT-NIR spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Calibration models were built with partial least-squares regression (PLSR). An HPLC-UV method was used to measure the reference values for caffeine content, while sugar contents were measured with the Schoorl method. Both the nominal sugar content (as indicated on the cans) and the measured sugar concentration were used as references. Although the Schoorl method has larger error and bias, appropriate models could be developed using both references. The validation of the models was based on sevenfold cross-validation and external validation. FT-NIR analysis is a good candidate to replace the HPLC-UV method, because it is much cheaper than any chromatographic method, while it is also more time-efficient. The combination of FT-NIR with multidimensional chemometric techniques like PLSR can be a good option for the detection of low caffeine concentrations in energy drinks. Moreover, three types of energy drinks that contain (i) taurine, (ii) arginine, and (iii) none of these two components were classified correctly using principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis. Such classifications are important for the detection of adulterated samples and for quality control, as well. In this case, more than a hundred samples were used for the evaluation. The classification was validated with cross-validation and several randomization tests (X-scrambling). Graphical Abstract The way of energy drinks from cans to appropriate chemometric models.

Occupational Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation and Risk of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer in a Multinational European Study

PubMed Central

Surdu, Simona; Fitzgerald, Edward F.; Bloom, Michael S.; Boscoe, Francis P.; Carpenter, David O.; Haase, Richard F.; Gurzau, Eugen; Rudnai, Peter; Koppova, Kvetoslava; Févotte, Joëlle; Leonardi, Giovanni; Vahter, Marie; Goessler, Walter; Kumar, Rajiv; Fletcher, Tony

2013-01-01

Background Studies suggest that ambient sunlight plays an important role in the pathogenesis of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC). However, there is ongoing controversy regarding the relevance of occupational exposure to natural and artificial ultraviolet radiation (UV) radiation. Objectives We investigated potential associations between natural and artificial UV radiation exposure at work with NMSC in a case-control study conducted in Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Methods Occupational exposures were classified by expert assessment for 527 controls and 618 NMSC cases (515 basal cell carcinoma, BCC). Covariate information was collected via interview and multiple logistic regression models were used to assess associations between UV exposure and NMSC. Results Lifetime prevalence of occupational exposure in the participants was 13% for natural UV radiation and 7% for artificial UV radiation. Significant negative associations between occupational exposure to natural UV radiation and NMSC were detected for all who had ever been exposed (odds ratio (OR) 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.27–0.80); similar results were detected using a semi-quantitative metric of cumulative exposure. The effects were modified by skin complexion, with significantly decreased risks of BCC among participants with light skin complexion. No associations were observed in relation to occupational artificial UV radiation exposure. Conclusions The protective effect of occupational exposure to natural UV radiation was unexpected, but limited to light-skinned people, suggesting adequate sun-protection behaviors. Further investigations focusing on variations in the individual genetic susceptibility and potential interactions with environmental and other relevant factors are planned. PMID:23638051

Arpad Gerster and Max Thorek contributions to American surgery.

PubMed

Langer, Robert M

2009-01-01

The legacy and the influence on American surgery is discussed of two Hungarian born surgeons: Arpad Gerster (1848-1923) and Max Thorek (1880-1960). Both of them were born in Northern Hungary, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, today Slovakia. Gerster got his medical education in Vienna The influence of Theodor Billroth left everlasting impressions in him. In 1874 he arrived in New York and became the first doctor in town who practiced exclusively surgery. He became an attending surgeon in The German Hospital and later at Mount Sinai Hospital. Gerster modernized the hospital's functions and services, introducing the rotation system, and also made the original observation that dissemination of cancer may be caused by surgery. His aseptic methods were revolutionary at the time. Max Thorek arrived in Chicago in 1897. With a fantastic endurance he overwhelmed all barriers and became a doctor. He started his practice in one of Chicago's poor immigrant neighborhoods, but stepwise he could excel and in 1911 he co-founded The American Hospital. His ideas of modernizing surgery became reality. Thorek is one of the first who practiced plastic surgery, and his contribution by writing about surgical errors and safeguards became a great success. He founded the International College of Surgeons, a result of his widespread relations among surgeons all over the world. The parallels in the lives of these great surgeons: solid education, knowledge of languages, talent for music, literature, and arts, creative thinking combined with hard work, good humor, as well as a social conscience led them to make groundbreaking contributions to American and international surgery.

Inventory of managed aquifer recharge sites in Europe: historical development, current situation and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sprenger, C.; Hartog, N.; Hernández, M.; Vilanova, E.; Grützmacher, G.; Scheibler, F.; Hannappel, S.

2017-09-01

Different types of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) schemes are widely distributed and applied on various scales and for various purposes in the European countries, but a systematic categorization and compilation of data has been missing up to now. The European MAR catalogue presented herein contains various key parameters collected from the available literature. The catalogue includes 224 currently active MAR sites found in 23 European countries. Large quantities of drinking water are produced by MAR sites in Hungary, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Poland, Switzerland and France. This inventory highlights that, for over a century, MAR has played an important role in the development of European water supply and contributes to drinking-water production substantially. This development has occurred autonomously, with "trial-and-error" within the full range of climatically and hydrogeologically diverse conditions of the European countries. For the future, MAR has the potential to facilitate optimal (re)use and storage of available water resources and to take advantage of the natural purification and low energy requirements during MAR operations. Particularly with respect to the re-use of wastewater treatment-plant effluent and stormwater, which is currently underdeveloped, the use of MAR can support the public acceptance of such water-resource efficient schemes. Particularly for the highly productive and urbanized coastal zones, where the pressure on freshwater supplies increases by growing water demand, salinization and increased agricultural needs for food production (such as along the Mediterranean and North Sea coasts), MAR is expected to be increasingly relied on in Europe.

[Isolation and identification of Lyssavirus strains from an area of Slovakia where oral antirabies vaccine was administered].

PubMed

Ondrejka, R; Durove, A; Svrcek, S; Benísek, Z; Süliová, J

1997-02-01

The study was aimed at isolation and subsequent identification of strains of rabies virus by means of monoclonal antibodies from foxes killed in the vaccination zone within the complex preliminary monitoring of oral antirabies vaccination. The results obtained indicate that the vaccines for oral antirabies vaccination used in Slovakia did not contain any vaccination strain pathogenic to the extremely sensitive target species-the fox (Vulpes vulpes).

Longitudinal Comparison of Early Speech and Language Milestones in Children with Cleft Palate: A Comparison of US and Slovak Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherer, Nancy J.; Oravkinova, Zuzana; McBee, Matthew T.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare early speech and language development of children with and without cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) in the US and Slovakia from 6 to 24 months of age. Thirty-two children from the US (eight with CLP and eight noncleft) and Slovakia (eight with CLP and eight noncleft) participated in this study. The children…

[Familial Mediterranean fever - first experiences in Slovakia].

PubMed

Dallos, Tomáš; Gálová, Lucia Lukáčiková; Macejková, Eva; Sedlačko, Jozef; Toplak, Nataša; Debeljak, Maruša; Sargsyan, Hasmik; Ilenčíková, Denisa; Kovács, László

2014-01-01

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most prevalent genetically determined autoinflammatory disease. FMF significantly decreases the quality of life and limits life expectancy due to the development of amyloidosis in affected individuals. Prevalence of FMF is highest in the south-eastern Mediterraneans. In other parts of the world, its occurance is often restricted to high-risk ethnic groups. In Central Europe, experience with FMF is scarse to none, as in the case of Slovakia, where no cases have been reported, so far. Herein we report the first five patients (3 adults and 2 children, 4 native Slovaks) in whom the diagnosis of FMF could be confirmed in Slovakia. Our experience demonstrates that FMF does occur in low-risk populations in Central Europe. Due to low prevalence and lack of experience, FMF diagnosis may be significantly delayed (4.5-30 years) and undiagnosed cases are to be expected in our population.

The Tragedies and Heroes of the Holocaust in Poland and Hungary. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 1998 (Hungary/Poland).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schirmer, Christy

This curriculum unit is designed to teach students how the Holocaust differed in Hungary, what conditions were like at the largest extermination camp (Auschwitz-Birkenau), and about people who risked their lives to save Hungarian and Polish Jews. The unit notes that students should already be acquainted with the rise of anti-Semitism in Germany…

[Sleep duration among school-age children in Hungary and Romania].

PubMed

Sólyom, Réka; Lendvai, Zsófia; Pásti, Krisztina; Szeifert, Lilla; Szabó, J Attila

2013-10-06

Children's sleep duration is decreasing in the last decade. Despite of the well known negative consequences, there are no data on children's sleep duration in Hungary and Romania. The aim of the authors was to assess sleep duration of school-age children in Hungary and Romania. A self-edited questionnaire was used for the study. 2446 children were enrolled. All elementary and secondary schools in a Hungarian city, and one elementary and secondary school in a Romanian city took part in the study. Mean sleep duration was 8.3 ± 1.2 hours on weekdays. There was a significant difference between the two countries (Hungary vs. Romania, 8.5 ± 1.2 hours vs. 7.8 ± 0.9 hours, p = 0.001). Age correlated with sleep duration on weekdays (r= -0.605, p = 0.001), but not during weekend. This is the first study on children's sleep duration in Hungary and Romania. The difference between countries may be due to the difference in mean age or cultural and/or geographical differences.

A new Middle Miocene Niveria Jousseaume, 1884 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Trivioidea) from Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehse, Dirk

2011-02-01

A new species of Niveria from the Middle Miocene (Badenian) of the Paratethys of Borsodbóta, Hungary is described. This species is characterized by its callused dorsum and dorsal depression. Niveria jozefgregoi sp. nov. is discussed with comparative species from the Badenian of Hungary, the Pliocene of the Mediterranean region, Florida and Recent species from Madeira and the Islas Galápagos.

Occupational health nursing in hungary.

PubMed

Hirdi, Henriett Éva; Hong, OiSaeng

2014-10-01

This article is the first about occupational health nursing in Hungary. The authors describe the Hungarian health care and occupational health care systems, including nursing education and professional organizations for occupational health nurses. The Fundamental Law of Hungary guarantees the right of every employee to healthy and safe working conditions, daily and weekly rest times and annual paid leave, and physical and mental health. Hungary promotes the exercise of these rights by managing industrial safety and health care, providing access to healthy food, supporting sports and regular physical exercise, and ensuring environmental protection. According to the law, the responsibility for regulation of the occupational health service lies with the Ministry of Human Resources. Safety regulations are under the aegis of the Ministry of National Economy. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

International patients on operation vacation – perspectives of patients travelling to Hungary for orthopaedic treatments

PubMed Central

Kovacs, Eszter; Szocska, Gabor; Knai, Cécile

2014-01-01

Background: The importance of cross-border healthcare, medical and health tourism plays a significant role in the European health policy and health management. After dentistry, orthopaedic treatments are the leading motivation for seeking care in Hungary, as patients with rheumatic and motion diseases are drawn to the thermal spas and well-established orthopaedic centres. This paper aims to gain insight into foreign patients’ perspectives on their experience of having sought medical tourism in orthopaedic care in Hungary. Methods: A patient survey was conducted in 2012 on motivations for seeking treatment abroad, orthopaedic care received and overall satisfaction. In addition, health professionals’ interviews, and 17 phone interviews were conducted in 2013 with Romanian patients who had orthopaedic treatment in Hungary. Finally, medical records of foreign patients were analysed. Results: The survey was completed by 115 participants – 61.1% females, mean age= 41.9, 87% Romanian origin. Most of the patients came to Hungary for orthopaedic surgeries, e.g. arthroscopy, knee/hip prosthesis or spinal surgery. 72.6% chose Hungary because of related to perceived better quality and longstanding culture of Hungarian orthopaedic care. Over 57% of patients reported being ‘very satisfied’ with care received and 41.6% ‘satisfied’. The follow-up interviews further reflected this level of satisfaction, therefore many respondents stating they have already recommended the Hungarian healthcare to others. Conclusion: Based on the findings, patients from neighbouring regions are increasingly seeking orthopaedic care in Hungary. Patients having orthopaedic care are highly satisfied with the quality of care, the whole treatment process from the availability of information to discharge summaries and would consider returning for further treatments. PMID:25396209

Hungary.

PubMed

1986-02-01

In this discussion of Hungary, attention is directed to the following: geography, people, history, government, political conditions, the economy, foreign relations, defense, and relations between the US and Hungary. In 1985 the population totaled 10.7 million with an annual growth rate of 0.2%. The infant mortality rate is 20.2/1000 live births; life expectancy is 66 years for men and 73.2 years for women. Hungary was a monarchy for almost 1000 years. Its constitutional parliamentary system preceded, by several centuries, the establishment of such Western-style governments in other East European countries. A communist dictatorship seized power in May/June 1947. The Hungarian uprising of 1956, although forcibly suppressed by Soviet armed intervention, gave impetus to long overdue changes and clearly demonstrated the popular will for national identity and internal reform. With the exception of various small businesses with few employees, all economic activity is run by state-owned enterprises or cooperatives. Agriculture has been collectivized. Hungary has rich bauxite mines and provides for most of its coal and natural gas requirements. Introduction of the "new economic mechanism" in 1968 ushered in a period of rapid growth, accompanied by equilibrium in the balance of trade. Yet, in the early 1970s a number of factors combined to blunt the reform effort, and in 1977 government leaders recognized the need for a new reform effort. Hungary is highly dependent on foreign trade, about 50% of which is with other communist countries. Except for the brief and unsuccessful attempt in November 1956 to establish a position and course of neutrality for Hungary, the foreign policy of the Hungarian government has followed closely the Soviet Union since 1947. In recent years, US/Hungarian relations have featured a steady exchange of official visits.

Review of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in the eastern part of Europe, 2016

PubMed Central

Plutzer, Judit; Lassen, Brian; Jokelainen, Pikka; Djurković-Djaković, Olgica; Kucsera, István; Dorbek-Kolin, Elisabeth; Šoba, Barbara; Sréter, Tamás; Imre, Kálmán; Omeragić, Jasmin; Nikolić, Aleksandra; Bobić, Branko; Živičnjak, Tatjana; Lučinger, Snježana; Stefanović, Lorena Lazarić; Kučinar, Jasmina; Sroka, Jacek; Deksne, Gunita; Keidāne, Dace; Kváč, Martin; Hůzová, Zuzana; Karanis, Panagiotis

2018-01-01

Introduction This paper reviews the current knowledge and understanding of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in humans, animals and the environment in 10 countries in the eastern part of Europe: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. Methods: Published scientific papers and conference proceedings from the international and local literature, official national health service reports, national databases and doctoral theses in local languages were reviewed to provide an extensive overview on the epidemiology, diagnostics and research on these pathogens, as well as analyse knowledge gaps and areas for further research. Results: Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. were found to be common in eastern Europe, but the results from different countries are difficult to compare because of variations in reporting practices and detection methodologies used. Conclusion: Upgrading and making the diagnosis/detection procedures more uniform is recommended throughout the region. Public health authorities should actively work towards increasing reporting and standardising reporting practices as these prerequisites for the reported data to be valid and therefore necessary for appropriate control plans. PMID:29382412

European University Students' Experiences and Attitudes toward Campus Alcohol Policy: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Van Hal, Guido; Tavolacci, Marie-Pierre; Stock, Christiane; Vriesacker, Bart; Orosova, Olga; Kalina, Ondrej; Salonna, Ferdinand; Lukacs, Andrea; Ladekjaer Larsen, Eva; Ladner, Joël; Jacobs, Liezille

2018-01-24

Many studies indicate that a substantial part of the student population drinks excessively, yet most European universities do not have an alcohol policy. In the absence of an alcohol guideline at universities and the easy access to alcohol sold at the student cafeteria, for instance, this has the potential to place students at risk of overconsumption, which has adverse health consequences. Therefore, our study objectives were to explore and compare university students' experiences and attitudes toward alcohol policy on their campus using a qualitative approach. 29 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among students from universities in five European countries: Belgium (4 FGDs), Denmark (6 FGDs), France (5 FGDs), Hungary (6 FGDs), and the Slovak Republic (8 FGDs), with a total number of 189 participants. Across the five European countries, students recognized that alcohol was a big problem on their campuses yet they knew very little, if any, about the rules concerning alcohol on their campus. Students will not support an on campus alcohol restriction and a policy should therefore focus on prevention initiatives.

JINR: the initiator of future discoveries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matveev, V. A.

2016-03-01

On 26 March 2016, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) will mark its 60th anniversary as an internationally known research center that is a unique example of how fundamental theoretical and experimental studies can be integrated with the development and application of cutting-edge technologies and with university education. JINR member states number 18, of which Hungary, Germany, Egypt, Italy, Serbia, and the Republic of South Africa are each under a government-level cooperation agreement with the institute. Three factors combine to form a solid foundation on which JINR bases its work: commitment to traditions of internationally renowned research schools; unique performance hardware capable of solving problems of current interest in various fields of modern physics; and status as a UN intergovernmental body. Ranked high within the world's scientific community, the institute has conducted a wide range of research and trained high quality research personnel for its member states over the 60-years period since its foundation. In accordance with its Charter, JINR is open to participation by all interested states and ensures equal and mutually beneficial cooperation among them.

Of Men and Morals (Investigating Human Behavior). Resources for Courses in World History, World Literature, Journalism, Psychology (for High Schools and Community Colleges). Fulbright-Hayes Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2002 (Hungary and Poland).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuhgalter, A.

The countries of Hungary and Poland are steadily moving along the road of transition from their recent totalitarian past to modern capitalist democracies. Hungary and Poland are changing, developing economies based on new principles, resolving multiple social issues, and patching the projection from their history that still casts a shadow on the…

[Legal aspects and the treatment procedure of gender dysphoria in Hungary].

PubMed

Kórász, Krisztián

2015-07-26

The legal process of gender transition in Hungary had previously been more developed as in most European countries, as the law enabled transsexual people to change their name and gender before or without a medical treatment, which was unique at the time. Over the years, however, lots of European countries developed legal frameworks and accepted international standards of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria that Hungary did not follow. Currently in Hungary there is no consistent legal framework of gender transition, there is no official regulation or guidelines regarding gender transition process, no institution with the obligation to accommodate the process, and there is no nominated specialist in the state health care system whose remit included dealing with transsexual patients. The information on gender transition options both to the professionals and to the patients is limited and incoherent. This paper reviews the legal aspects and clinical management process of gender dysphoria in Hungary. Some issues regarding the Hungarian practice and possible solutions based on examples from the United Kingdom are addressed within the paper.

GIS-based environmental analysis of fox and canine lungworm distribution: an epidemiological study of Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis in red foxes from Slovakia.

PubMed

Čabanová, Viktória; Miterpáková, Martina; Druga, Michal; Hurníková, Zuzana; Valentová, Daniela

2018-02-01

Over a period of intervening years, the distribution of two canine cardiopulmonary metastrongylid nematodes, Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis, has been recognised in Central Europe. Here, we report the first epidemiological research conducted in red foxes from Slovakia and the potential influence of selected environmental variables on the parasites' occurrence, quantified by logistic regression. The environmental models revealed that distribution of C. vulpis is not significantly influenced by any environmental variables, and the parasite is present in the whole area under study. Models for A. vasorum revealed some weak influence of environmental variables, as it tends to occur in drier areas with lower proportion of forest. Moreover, A. vasorum shows a typical spatial clustering and occurs in endemic foci identified mainly in the eastern part of Slovakia. A cluster of A. vasorum infection foci was also found in the north-eastern region, where the average winter air temperature regularly falls below - 10 °C.

Trends in risk factors and etiology of 606 cases of infective endocarditis over 23 years (1984-2006) in slovakia.

PubMed

Hricak, V; Liska, B; Kovackova, J; Mikusova, J; Fischer, V; Kovacik, J; Karvaj, M; Jurco, R; Ondrusova, A; Kalavsky, E; Marks, P; Beno, P; Krcmery, V

2007-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess trends in risk factors, etiology, outcome and treatment strategies for endocarditis over 23 years in Slovakia. A prospective survey of 606 cases of infective endocarditis (IE) was conducted from 1984-2006. Rheumatic fever as well as previous dental surgery showed decreasing trends within the last 23 years. Also embolic complications of IE declined along with increasing rates of surgically treated patients. No significant changes in etiology were detected apart from the fact that culture-negative endocarditis increased from 10.7% to 55.4% between 1998-2001. Surgically treated patients increased from 22.7% (1984-1990) to 50.1% (2002-2006) and mortality dramatically decreased from 26.7% (1984-1990) to 5.3% (2002-2006). Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci were the leading causes (22.4% - 48%) followed by viridans streptococci (12.2%-18.2%) were a relatively stable trend over 23 years of IE in Slovakia.

Potential mosquito (Diptera:Culicidae) vector of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis in urban areas of Eastern Slovakia.

PubMed

Bocková, Eva; Iglódyová, Adriana; Kočišová, Alica

2015-12-01

This paper follows the study from 2013 focused on the molecular screening of mosquitoes as vectors of Dirofilaria spp. which provided the information on Aedes vexans as a potential vector of Dirofilaria repens in Slovakia. Current entomological and molecular research indicates that Ae. vexans can participate also in the transmission of Dirofilaria immitis within the region. Using the standard PCR method, we examined 10,500 mosquitoes (Ae. vexans, Ae. rossicus, Anopheles maculipennis s.l., Ochlerotatus sticticus, Ochlerotatus cantans, Ochlerotatus caspius, Culex pipiens/Culex torrentium, Coquillettidia richiardii), collected using CO2-baited traps at six locations in the Eastern Slovakia. Out of 105 pools, 6 pools of mosquitoes Ae. vexans were positive for D. repens DNA (minimum infective rate in Ae. vexas was 6:6.900, i.e. 0.8 per 1.000 mosquitoes), within which 4 were concurrently positive for D. immitis (minimum infective rate in Ae. vexans was 4:6.900 i.e. 0.5 per 1.000 mosquitoes).

Giardia duodenalis and Giardia enterica in children: first evidence of assemblages A and B in Eastern Slovakia.

PubMed

Štrkolcová, G; Goldová, M; Maďar, M; Čechová, L; Halánová, M; Mojžišová, J

2016-05-01

For an overview on the occurrence of Giardia assemblages in children in Eastern Slovakia, we examined 259 faecal samples of children from the segregated settlement in Medzev, 30 samples of children from the orphanage in Medzev and 40 samples of children with autism from the Special Elementary School in Košice. Thirty-eight samples (14.67 %) from the segregated settlement, 19 samples (63.33 %) from the orphanage and two samples (5.0 %) from the Special Elementary School were positive for Giardia by flotation. The initial microscopic diagnostics were completed by the genotyping of the triosephosphate isomerase-gene loci (tpi genes) which revealed the existence of two Giardia assemblages in Slovak population, namely Giardia duodenalis (assemblage A) and Giardia enterica (assemblage B). These results represent the first evidence of A and B assemblages in children in Slovakia. Epidemiological significance and the impact on the public health of Giardia infection are highlighted.

Checklist and distribution of ciliates from the family Euplotidae Ehrenberg, 1838 (Protista: Ciliophora: Spirotrichea) in Slovakia, Central Europe.

PubMed

Tirjaková, Eva; Botlíková, Simona; Vďačný, Peter

2015-02-20

A checklist of ciliates from the family Euplotidae recorded in the territory of Slovakia, Central Europe was assembled. Altogether, 11 species belonging to three genera of the family Euplotidae have been reported there: Euplotes alatus, Euplotes charon, Euplotes moebiusi, Euplotoides aediculatus, Euplotoides eurystomus, Euplotoides patella, Euplotoides woodruffi, Euplotopsis affinis, Euplotopsis finki, Euplotopsis muscicola, and Euplotopsis novemcarinata. However, records of the marine species E. alatus and E. charon are doubtful and very likely represent misidentifications of E. moebiusi. Since the euryhaline species E. woodruffi was found for the first time in Slovakia, its morphology is described. Based on the literature data and our own observations, the present checklist is also accompanied with distribution data on the 11 aforementioned species. As concerns ecology, Slovak euplotids typically occurred in freshwater bodies having higher trophic levels. Only two species, E. finki and E. muscicola, were isolated from terrestrial habitats, especially, from mosses, leaf-litter, and decaying wood mass.

Analysis of national and regional landslide inventories in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hervás, J.; Van Den Eeckhaut, M.

2012-04-01

A landslide inventory can be defined as a detailed register of the distribution and characteristics of past landslides in an area. Today most landslide inventories have the form of digital databases including landslide distribution maps and associated alphanumeric information for each landslide. While landslide inventories are of the utmost importance for land use planning and risk management through the generation of landslide zonation (susceptibility, hazard and risk) maps, landslide databases are thought to greatly differ from one country to another and often also within the same country. This hampers the generation of comparable, harmonised landslide zonation maps at national and continental scales, which is needed for policy and decision making at EU level as regarded for instance in the INSPIRE Directive and the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection. In order to have a clear understanding of the landslide inventories available in Europe and their potential to produce landslide zonation maps as well as to draw recommendations to improve harmonisation and interoperability between landslide databases, we have surveyed 37 countries. In total, information has been collected and analysed for 24 national databases in 22 countries (Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and UK) and 22 regional databases in 10 countries. At the moment, over 633,000 landslides are recorded in national databases, representing on average less than 50% of the estimated landslides occurred in these countries. The sample of regional databases included over 103,000 landslides, with an estimated completeness substantially higher than that of national databases, as more attention can be paid for data collection over smaller regions. Yet, both for national and regional coverage, the data collection methods only occasionally included advanced technologies such as remote sensing. With regard to the inventory maps of most databases, the analysis illustrates the high variability of scales (between 1:10 000 and 1:1 M for national inventories, and from 1:10 000 to 1:25 000 for regional inventories), landslide classification systems and representation symbology. It also shows the difficulties to precisely locate landslides referred to in historical documents only. In addition, information on landslide magnitude, geometrical characteristics and age reported in national and regional databases greatly differs, even within the same database, as it strongly depends on the objectives of the database, the data collection methods used, the resources employed and the remaining landslide expression. In particular, landslide initiation and/or reactivation dates are generally estimated in less than 25% of records, thus making hazard and hence risk assessment difficult. In most databases, scarce information on landslide impact (damage and casualties) further hinders risk assessment at regional and national scales. Estimated landslide activity, which is very relevant to early warning and emergency management, is only included in half of the national databases and restricted to part of the landslides registered. Moreover, the availability of this information is not substantially higher in regional databases than in national ones. Most landslide databases further included information on geo-environmental characteristics at the landslide site, which is very important for modelling landslide zoning. Although a number of national and regional agencies provide free web-GIS visualisation services, the potential of existing landslide databases is often not fully exploited as, in many cases, access by the general public and external researchers is restricted. Additionally, the availability of information only in the national or local language is common to most national and regional databases, thus hampering consultation for most foreigners. Finally, some suggestions for a minimum set of attributes to be collected and made available by European countries for building up a continental landslide database in support of EU policies are presented. This study has been conducted in the framework of the EU-FP7 project SafeLand (Grant Agreement 22647).

Revised and annotated checklist of aquatic and semi-aquatic Heteroptera of Hungary with comments on biodiversity patterns

PubMed Central

Boda, Pál; Bozóki, Tamás; Vásárhelyi, Tamás; Bakonyi, Gábor; Várbíró, Gábor

2015-01-01

Abstract A basic knowledge of regional faunas is necessary to follow the changes in macroinvertebrate communities caused by environmental influences and climatic trends in the future. We collected all the available data on water bugs in Hungary using an inventory method, a UTM grid based database was built, and Jackknife richness estimates and species accumulation curves were calculated. Fauna compositions were compared among Central-European states. As a result, an updated and annotated checklist for Hungary is provided, containing 58 species in 21 genera and 12 families. A total 66.8% of the total UTM 10 × 10 km squares in Hungary possess faunistic data for water bugs. The species number in grid cells numbered from 0 to 42, and their diversity patterns showed heterogeneity. The estimated species number of 58 is equal to the actual number of species known from the country. The asymptotic shape of the accumulative species curve predicts that additional sampling efforts will not increase the number of species currently known from Hungary. These results suggest that the number of species in the country was estimated correctly and that the species accumulation curve levels off at an asymptotic value. Thus a considerable increase in species richness is not expected in the future. Even with the species composition changing the chance of species turn-over does exist. Overall, 36.7% of the European water bug species were found in Hungary. The differences in faunal composition between Hungary and its surrounding countries were caused by the rare or unique species, whereas 33 species are common in the faunas of the eight countries. Species richness does show a correlation with latitude, and similar species compositions were observed in the countries along the same latitude. The species list and the UTM-based database are now up-to-date for Hungary, and it will provide a basis for future studies of distributional and biodiversity patterns, biogeography, relative abundance and frequency of occurrences important in community ecology, or the determination of conservation status. PMID:25987880

Women Technical Graduates in Hungary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turi, Zsuzsa Frank

1980-01-01

Reports on the evolution, since 1945, of the woman's role in science and technology in the Central European nation of Hungary. The report is presented by nine women who are scientists and engineers. (SA)

First isolation and characterization of Brucella microti from wild boar.

PubMed

Rónai, Zsuzsanna; Kreizinger, Zsuzsa; Dán, Ádám; Drees, Kevin; Foster, Jeffrey T; Bányai, Krisztián; Marton, Szilvia; Szeredi, Levente; Jánosi, Szilárd; Gyuranecz, Miklós

2015-07-11

Brucella microti was first isolated from common vole (Microtus arvalis) in the Czech Republic in Central Europe in 2007. As B. microti is the only Brucella species known to live in soil, its distribution, ecology, zoonotic potential, and genomic organization is of particular interest. The present paper is the first to report the isolation of B. microti from a wild boar (Sus scrofa), which is also the first isolation of this bacterial species in Hungary. The B. microti isolate was cultured, after enrichment in Brucella-selective broth, from the submandibular lymph node of a female wild boar that was taken by hunters in Hungary near the Austrian border in September 2014. Histological and immunohistological examinations of the lymph node sections with B. abortus-, B. suis- and B. canis-specific sera gave negative results. The isolate did not require CO2 for growth, was oxidase, catalase, and urease positive, H2S negative, grew well in the presence of 20 μg/ml basic fuchsin and thionin, and had brownish pigmentation after three days of incubation. It gave strong positive agglutination with anti-A and anti-M but had a negative reaction with anti-R monospecific sera. The API 20 NE test identified it as Ochrobactrum anthropi with 99.9% identity, and it showed B. microti-specific banding pattern in the Bruce- and Suis-ladder multiplex PCR systems. Whole genome re-sequencing identified 30 SNPs in orthologous loci when compared to the B. microti reference genome available in GenBank, and the MLVA analysis yielded a unique profile. Given that the female wild boar did not develop any clinical disease, we hypothesize that this host species only harboured the bacterium, serving as a possible reservoir capable of maintaining and spreading this pathogen. The infectious source could have been either a rodent, a carcass that had been eaten or infection occurred via the boar rooting in soil. The low number of discovered SNPs suggests an unexpectedly high level of genetic homogeneity in this Brucella species.

The Košice meteorite fall: Atmospheric trajectory, fragmentation, and orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

BorovičKa, Jiří; Tóth, Juraj; Igaz, Antal; Spurný, Pavel; Kalenda, Pavel; Haloda, Jakub; Svoreå, Ján; Kornoš, Leonard; Silber, Elizabeth; Brown, Peter; HusáRik, Marek

2013-10-01

The Košice meteorite fall occurred in eastern Slovakia on February 28, 2010, 22:25 UT. The very bright bolide was imaged by three security video cameras from Hungary. Detailed bolide light curves were obtained through clouds by radiometers on seven cameras of the European Fireball Network. Records of sonic waves were found on six seismic and four infrasonic stations. An atmospheric dust cloud was observed the next morning before sunrise. After careful calibration, the video records were used to compute the bolide trajectory and velocity. The meteoroid, of estimated mass of 3500 kg, entered the atmosphere with a velocity of 15 km s-1 on a trajectory with a slope of 60° to the horizontal. The largest fragment ceased to be visible at a height of 17 km, where it was decelerated to 4.5 km s-1. A maximum brightness of absolute stellar magnitude about -18 was reached at a height of 36 km. We developed a detailed model of meteoroid atmospheric fragmentation to fit the observed light curve and deceleration. We found that Košice was a weak meteoroid, which started to fragment under the dynamic pressure of only 0.1 MPa and fragmented heavily under 1 MPa. In total, 78 meteorites were recovered in the predicted fall area during official searches. Other meteorites were found by private collectors. Known meteorite masses ranged from 0.56 g to 2.37 kg. The meteorites were classified as ordinary chondrites of type H5 and shock stage S3. The heliocentric orbit had a relatively large semimajor axis of 2.7 AU and aphelion distance of 4.5 ± 0.5 AU. Backward numerical integration of the preimpact orbit indicates possible large variations of the orbital elements in the past due to resonances with Jupiter.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Karyolysus--a neglected but common parasite infecting some European lizards.

PubMed

Haklová-Kočíková, Božena; Hižňanová, Adriana; Majláth, Igor; Račka, Karol; Harris, David James; Földvári, Gábor; Tryjanowski, Piotr; Kokošová, Natália; Malčeková, Beáta; Majláthová, Viktória

2014-12-10

Blood parasites of the genus Karyolysus Labbé, 1894 (Apicomplexa: Adeleida: Karyolysidae) represent the protozoan haemogregarines found in various genera of lizards, including Lacerta, Podarcis, Darevskia (Lacertidae) and Mabouia (Scincidae). The vectors of parasites are gamasid mites from the genus Ophionyssus. A total of 557 individuals of lacertid lizards were captured in four different localities in Europe (Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) and blood was collected. Samples were examined using both microscopic and molecular methods, and phylogenetic relationships of all isolates of Karyolysus sp. were assessed for the first time. Karyolysus sp. 18S rRNA isolates were evaluated using Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses. A total of 520 blood smears were examined microscopically and unicellular protozoan parasites were found in 116 samples (22.3% prevalence). The presence of two Karyolysus species, K. latus and K. lacazei was identified. In total, of 210 samples tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the presence of parasites was observed in 64 individuals (prevalence 30.5%). Results of phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of four haplotypes, all part of the same lineage, with other parasites identified as belonging to the genus Hepatozoon. Classification of these parasites using current taxonomy is complex - they were identified in both mites and ticks that typically are considered to host Karyolysus and Hepatozoon respectively. Furthermore although distortions to the intermediate host erythrocyte nuclei were observed, the defining characteristic of Karyolysus, the haplotypes were nearly identical to those reported from lizards in the Iberian Peninsula, where such distortions were not reported and which were thus identified as Hepatozoon. Based on the phylogenetic analyses, neither vertebrate host, nor geographical patterns of the studied blood parasites could be established.

Adolescent Pregnancy, Birth, and Abortion Rates Across Countries: Levels and Recent Trends

PubMed Central

Sedgh, Gilda; Finer, Lawrence B.; Bankole, Akinrinola; Eilers, Michelle A.; Singh, Susheela

2016-01-01

Purpose To examine pregnancy rates and outcomes (births and abortions) among 15- to 19-year olds and 10- to 14-year olds in all countries for which recent information could be obtained and to examine trends since the mid-1990s. Methods Information was obtained from countries’ vital statistics reports and the United Nations Statistics Division for most countries in this study. Alternate sources of information were used if needed and available. We present estimates primarily for 2011 and compare them to estimates published for the mid-1990s. Results Among the 21 countries with complete statistics, the pregnancy rate among 15- to 19-year olds was the highest in the United States (57 pregnancies per 1,000 females) and the lowest rate was in Switzerland (8). Rates were higher in some former Soviet countries with incomplete statistics; they were the highest in Mexico and Sub-Saharan African countries with available information. Among countries with reliable evidence, the highest rate among 10- to 14-year olds was in Hungary. The proportion of teen pregnancies that ended in abortion ranged from 17% in Slovakia to 69% in Sweden. The proportion of pregnancies that ended in live births tended to be higher in countries with high teen pregnancy rates (p =.02). The pregnancy rate has declined since the mid-1990s in the majority of the 16 countries where trends could be assessed. Conclusions Despite recent declines, teen pregnancy rates remain high in many countries. Research on the planning status of these pregnancies and on factors that determine how teens resolve their pregnancies could further inform programs and policies. PMID:25620306

Dosimetric inter-institutional comparison in European radiotherapy centres: Results of IAEA supported treatment planning system audit.

PubMed

Gershkevitsh, Eduard; Pesznyak, Csilla; Petrovic, Borislava; Grezdo, Joseph; Chelminski, Krzysztof; do Carmo Lopes, Maria; Izewska, Joanna; Van Dyk, Jacob

2014-05-01

One of the newer audit modalities operated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) involves audits of treatment planning systems (TPS) in radiotherapy. The main focus of the audit is the dosimetry verification of the delivery of a radiation treatment plan for three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiotherapy using high energy photon beams. The audit has been carried out in eight European countries - Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland and Portugal. The corresponding results are presented. The TPS audit reviews the dosimetry, treatment planning and radiotherapy delivery processes using the 'end-to-end' approach, i.e. following the pathway similar to that of the patient, through imaging, treatment planning and dose delivery. The audit is implemented at the national level with IAEA assistance. The national counterparts conduct the TPS audit at local radiotherapy centres through on-site visits. TPS calculated doses are compared with ion chamber measurements performed in an anthropomorphic phantom for eight test cases per algorithm/beam. A set of pre-defined agreement criteria is used to analyse the performance of TPSs. TPS audit was carried out in 60 radiotherapy centres. In total, 190 data sets (combination of algorithm and beam quality) have been collected and reviewed. Dosimetry problems requiring interventions were discovered in about 10% of datasets. In addition, suboptimal beam modelling in TPSs was discovered in a number of cases. The TPS audit project using the IAEA methodology has verified the treatment planning system calculations for 3D conformal radiotherapy in a group of radiotherapy centres in Europe. It contributed to achieving better understanding of the performance of TPSs and helped to resolve issues related to imaging, dosimetry and treatment planning.

[History of Smallpox Vaccination and of the Vaccine Supply in Hungary, up to 1890].

PubMed

Kiss, László

2015-01-01

One of the preconditions for the spread of vaccination against pox diseases was making vaccination available. The first vaccinations were carried out using original cowpox lymph sent by Jenner. For further vaccinations the vaccine was extracted from the blisters of those who had been successfully inoculated. In order to provide vaccine continuously six vaccine centres were set up in 1804 in the following cities: Pest, Buda, Kassa, Gyula, Pozsony and Zágráb (Croatia). Detailed information is available only about the centre in Pest which operated in Rókus Hospital under the leadership of the hospital director András Bossányi. Besides regular vaccination they also provided vaccine for the countryside. From 1824 the vaccine was relocated to the medical faculty of the university in Pest and Ferenc Gebhardt, an instructor of surgeons, became its head. The centre operated in the building of the medical faculty and vaccinations were given on Thursdays and Sundays. After the retirement of Gebhardt in 1860, the centre was taken over by the dermatologist Ferenc Poor for a short time, then by Ignác Semmelweis. From 1863 Gergely Patrubány was responsible for managing the centre. In 1874 the central vaccine institution moved to the Hospital for Poor Children in Pest where it was led first by Lázár Wittman, then by Géza Hainiss. In the 1880s private institutions appeared, the best known were Dani Pécsi's centre in Pest and Béla Intze's one in Tirgu Lapus (Romania). Between 1873 an 1889 András Kreichel ran a vaccine centre in Nálepkovo (Slovakia).

Drinking motives mediate cultural differences but not gender differences in adolescent alcohol use.

PubMed

Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Wicki, Matthias; Windlin, Béat; Roberts, Chris; Gabhainn, Saoirse Nic; van der Sluijs, Winfried; Aasvee, Katrin; Gaspar de Matos, Margarida; Dankulincová, Zuzana; Hublet, Anne; Tynjälä, Jorma; Välimaa, Raili; Bendtsen, Pernille; Vieno, Alessio; Mazur, Joanna; Farkas, Judith; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2015-03-01

To test whether differences in alcohol use between boys and girls and between northern and southern/central Europe are mediated by social, enhancement, coping, and conformity motives. Cross-sectional school-based surveys were conducted among 33,813 alcohol-using 11- to 19-year-olds from northern Europe (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, and Wales) and southern/central Europe (Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, and Switzerland). Particularly in late adolescence and early adulthood, boys drank more frequently and were more often drunk than girls. Instead of mediation, gender-specific motive paths were found; 14- to 16-year-old girls drank more because of higher levels of coping motives and lower levels of conformity motives, whereas 14- to 19-year-old boys drank more because of higher levels of social and enhancement motives. Geographical analyses confirmed that adolescents from southern/central European countries drank more frequently, but those from northern Europe reported being drunk more often. The strong indirect effects demonstrate that some of the cultural differences in drinking are because of higher levels of social, enhancement, and coping motives in northern than in southern/central Europe. The results from the largest drinking motive study conducted to date suggest that gender-specific prevention should take differences in the motivational pathways toward (heavy) drinking into account, that is, positive reinforcement seems to be more important for boys and negative reinforcement for girls. Preventive action targeting social and enhancement motives and taking drinking circumstances into account could contribute to tackling underage drinking in northern Europe. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A 323-year long reconstruction of drought for SW Romania based on black pine (Pinus Nigra) tree-ring widths.

PubMed

Levanič, Tom; Popa, Ionel; Poljanšek, Simon; Nechita, Constantin

2013-09-01

Increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation pose a major future challenge for sustainable ecosystem management in Romania. To understand ecosystem response and the wider social consequences of environmental change, we constructed a 396-year long (1615-2010) drought sensitive tree-ring width chronology (TRW) of Pinus nigra var. banatica (Georg. et Ion.) growing on steep slopes and shallow organic soil. We established a statistical relationship between TRW and two meteorological parameters-monthly sum of precipitation (PP) and standardised precipitation index (SPI). PP and SPI correlate significantly with TRW (r = 0.54 and 0.58) and are stable in time. Rigorous statistical tests, which measure the accuracy and prediction ability of the model, were all significant. SPI was eventually reconstructed back to 1688, with extreme dry and wet years identified using the percentile method. By means of reconstruction, we identified two so far unknown extremely dry years in Romania--1725 and 1782. Those 2 years are almost as dry as 1946, which was known as the "year of great famine." Since no historical documents for these 2 years were available in local archives, we compared the results with those from neighbouring countries and discovered that both years were extremely dry in the wider region (Slovakia, Hungary, Anatolia, Syria, and Turkey). While the 1800-1900 period was relatively mild, with only two moderately extreme years as far as weather is concerned, the 1900-2009 period was highly salient owing to the very high number of wet and dry extremes--five extremely wet and three extremely dry events (one of them in 1946) were identified.

The global incidence of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers by subsite in 2012.

PubMed

Shield, Kevin D; Ferlay, Jacques; Jemal, Ahmedin; Sankaranarayanan, Rengaswamy; Chaturvedi, Anil K; Bray, Freddie; Soerjomataram, Isabelle

2017-01-01

By using data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer publication Cancer Incidence in 5 Continents and GLOBOCAN, this report provides the first consolidated global estimation of the subsite distribution of new cases of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers by country, sex, and age for the year 2012. Major geographically based, sex-based, and age-based variations in the incidence of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers by subsite were observed. Lip cancers were highly frequent in Australia (associated with solar radiation) and in central and eastern Europe (associated with tobacco smoking). Cancers of the oral cavity and hypopharynx were highly common in south-central Asia, especially in India (associated with smokeless tobacco, bidi, and betel-quid use). Rates of oropharyngeal cancers were elevated in northern America and Europe, notably in Hungary, Slovakia, Germany, and France and were associated with alcohol use, tobacco smoking, and human papillomavirus infection. Nasopharyngeal cancers were most common in northern Africa and eastern/southeast Asia, indicative of genetic susceptibility combined with Epstein-Barr virus infection and early life carcinogenic exposures (nitrosamines and salted foods). The global incidence of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers of 529,500, corresponding to 3.8% of all cancer cases, is predicted to rise by 62% to 856,000 cases by 2035 because of changes in demographics. Given the rising incidence of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers and the variations in incidence by subsites across world regions and countries, there is a need for local, tailored approaches to prevention, screening, and treatment interventions that will optimally reduce the lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancer burden in future decades. CA Cancer J Clin 2017;67:51-64. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Alkaptonuria: a very rare metabolic disorder.

PubMed

Aquaron, Robert

2013-10-01

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a very rare autosomal recessive disorder of tyrosine metabolism in the liver due to deficiency of homogentisate 1,2 dioxygenase (HGD) activity, resulting in the accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA). Circulating HGA pass into various tissues through-out the body, mainly in cartilage and connective tissues, where its oxidation products polymerize and deposit as a melanin-like pigment. Gram quantities of HGA are excreted in the urine. AKU is a progressive disease and the three main features, according the chronology of appearance, are: darkening of the urine at birth, then ochronosis (blue-dark pigmentation of the connective tissue) clinically visible at around 30 yrs in the ear and eye, and finally a severe ochronotic arthropathy at around 50 yrs with spine and large joints involvements. Cardiovascular and renal complications have been described in numerous case report studies. A treatment now is available in the form of a drug nitisinone, which decreases the production of HGA. The enzymatic defect in AKU is caused by the homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations within the HGD gene. This disease has a very low prevalence (1:100,000-250,000) in most of the ethnic groups, except Slovakia and Dominican Republic, where the incidence has shown increase up to 1:19,000. This review highlights classical and recent findings on this very rare disease.

Detecting seasonal flood changes in the Upper Danube River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohnová, Silvia; Jeneiová, Katarína; Parajka, Juraj; Hall, Julia; Marková, Romana

2017-04-01

Due to a number of large-scale floods observed worldwide in recent years, the analysis of changes in long-term hydrological time series is becoming increasingly important. This study focuses on the Upper Danube region, which was struck by many flood events in the past decade. The flood seasonality of the study region, defined as the area of Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria and Slovakia, is examined to interpret the dominant flood processes. A spatial assessment of the seasonality indices of the annual maximum discharges and the seasonal discharges (derived from daily average discharges) was conducted for 117 gauging stations. Hot spots for potential changes in the mean dates of occurrence of the discharges were identified, and the results were linked with derived spatial characteristics for the catchments. The first results of the study of the seasonal discharges revealed that the variability of occurrence of summer floods is higher than winter floods in lowlands of the upper Danube catchment. In high Alpine catchments the winter floods variability of occurrence is the same or higher than for the summer floods. The summer season floods tend to appear for all catchment sizes in the same time period. With increased magnitude of floods in the summer season, the variability of occurrence of the floods is higher.

Biotech crop planting resumes high adoption in 2016.

PubMed

Aldemita, Rhodora R; Hautea, Randy A

2018-01-02

The global area of biotech crops in 2016 increased from 179.7 million hectares to 185.1 million hectares, a 3% increase equivalent to 5.4 million hectares. Some 26 countries planted biotech crops, 19 of which were developing countries and seven were industrial. Information and data collected from various credible sources showed variations from the previous year. Fluctuations in biotech crop area (both increases and decreases) are influenced by factors including, among others, acceptance and commercialization of new products, demand for meat and livestock feeds, weather conditions, global market price, disease/pest pressure, and government's enabling policies. Countries which have increased biotech crop area in decreasing order in 2016 were Brazil, United States of America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Bolivia, Philippines, Spain, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Colombia, Honduras, Chile, Sudan, Slovakia, and Costa Rica. Countries with decreased biotech area in decreasing order were China, India, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Mexico, Portugal, and Czech Republic, in decreasing incremental decrease in biotech area. Pakistan and Myanmar were the only countries with no change in biotech crop (cotton) planted. Information detailed in the paper including future crops and traits in each country could guide stakeholders in informed crafting of strategies and policies for increased adoption of biotech crops in the country.

Consumption of three strong opioids (morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl) in seven European countries during seven years (2003-2009).

PubMed

Hudec, R; Tisonova, J; Foltan, V; Kristova, V

2013-01-01

The aim was to analyse the consumption of selected strong opioid analgesics during a seven-year period of 2003-2009 in order to compare Slovak consumption with that in six other European countries and to determine our position. Drug consumption data from the State Institute for Drug Control in Slovak Republic were used. As to the data from other countries, annual health statistics published on websites were used in comparison. Obviously the consumption of one of studied opioid drugs with transdermal aplication route, particularly fentanyl, tended to increase in all countries during the observed period. Oxycodone tends to yield a rapid increase in consumption as well. As opposed to the latter drugs, the consumption of morphine was decreasing throughout the observed period. The consumption of these drugs in Slovakia remains low (except for that of fentanyl). Our analysis confirmed a clear shift from oral to transdermal therapy as well as usage of newer drugs. Drug consumption data are a relatively new source of information for health research. Our analysis showed increasing trends in fentanyl (patch opioid) consumption in all compared countries as well as an increasing consumption of oxycodone and decreasing consumption of morphine (Fig. 3, Ref. 17).

The CHOICE study: effect of counselling on the selection of combined hormonal contraceptive methods in 11 countries.

PubMed

Bitzer, Johannes; Gemzell-Danielsson, Kristina; Roumen, Frans; Marintcheva-Petrova, Maya; van Bakel, Bas; Oddens, Björn J

2012-02-01

To encourage healthcare professionals to counsel women seeking combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) about alternative CHCs and to study the influence of counselling on women's selection of CHCs. Women (15-40 years old) in 11 countries who consulted HCPs about CHCs were counselled about the pill, transdermal patch, and vaginal ring. Both the HCPs and the women completed questionnaires. Of women who were counselled (n = 18,787), 47% selected another CHC method than originally planned. One in four who intended to use the pill chose another method (16% chose the patch; 65% chose the ring). In total, patch use increased from 5% -8% (difference = 3.7% [97.5% CI: 3.3-4.2]; p < 0.0001). Ring use nearly quadrupled from 8% -30% (difference = 21.7% [97.5% CI: 21.0-22.5]; p < 0.0001). Nearly all women who were undecided prior to counselling selected a method after counselling. Selection of the pill increased most in Russia (+ 11%) and Sweden (+ 5%); patch selection was greatest in Russia (+ 7%) and Israel (+ 6%); ring use increased most in Ukraine and in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (+ 36%). Counselling increases use of alternative CHCs, such as the patch and the ring. Considerable differences between countries were noted.

Long-term changes in CO(2) emissions in Austria and Czechoslovakia-Identifying the drivers of environmental pressures.

PubMed

Gingrich, Simone; Kušková, Petra; Steinberger, Julia K

2011-02-01

This study presents fossil-fuel related CO(2) emissions in Austria and Czechoslovakia (current Czech Republic and Slovakia) for 1830-2000. The drivers of CO(2) emissions are discussed by investigating the variables of the standard Kaya identity for 1920-2000 and conducting a comparative Index Decomposition Analysis. Proxy data on industrial production and household consumption are analysed to understand the role of the economic structure. CO(2) emissions increased in both countries in the long run. Czechoslovakia was a stronger emitter of CO(2) throughout the time period, but per-capita emissions significantly differed only after World War I, when Czechoslovakia and Austria became independent. The difference in CO(2) emissions increased until the mid-1980s (the period of communism in Czechoslovakia), explained by the energy intensity and the composition effects, and higher industrial production in Czechoslovakia. Counterbalancing factors were the income effect and household consumption. After the Velvet revolution in 1990, Czechoslovak CO(2) emissions decreased, and the energy composition effect (and industrial production) lost importance. Despite their different political and economic development, Austria and Czechoslovakia reached similar levels of per-capita CO(2) emissions in the late 20th century. Neither Austrian "eco-efficiency" nor Czechoslovak restructuring have been effective in reducing CO(2) emissions to a sustainable level.

Open Day at SHMI.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarosova, M.

2010-09-01

During the World Meteorological Day there has been preparing "Open Day" at Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. This event has more than 10 years traditions. "Open Day" is one of a lot of possibilities to give more information about meteorology, climatology, hydrology too to public. This "Day" is executed in whole Slovakia. People can visit the laboratories, the forecasting room....and meteo and clima measuring points. The most popular is visiting forecasting room. Visitors are interested in e.g. climatologic change in Slovakia territory, preparing weather forecasting, dangerous phenomena.... Every year we have more than 500 visitors.

Pre-atmospheric parameters and fragment distribution: Case study for the Kosice meteoroid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gritsevich, M.; Vinnikov, V.; Kuznetsova, D.; Kohout, T.; Pupyrev, Y.; Peltoniemi, J.; Tóth, J.; Britt, D.; Turchak, L.; Virtanen, J.

2014-07-01

We present results on our investigation on the Košice meteorite --- one of the recent falls with a well-derived trajectory and large number of recovered fragments. A fireball appeared over central-eastern Slovakia on February 28, 2010. The bolide reached an absolute magnitude of at least -18, enabling radiometers of the European Fireball Network to track the fireball despite the cloudy and rainy weather. The landing area was successfully computed on the basis of data from the surveillance cameras operating in Hungary and led to a fast meteorite recovery (Borovička et al. 2013). The first reported fragment of the meteorite was located northwest of the city of Košice in eastern Slovakia (Tóth et al. 2014). 218 fragments of the Košice meteorite, with a total mass of 11.285 kg, have been documented with almost 7 kg belonging to the collection of the Comenius University in Bratislava and Astronomical Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences (Gritsevich et al. 2014). Based on the statistical investigation of the recovered fragments, bimodal Weibull, bimodal Grady, and bimodal lognormal distributions are found to be the most appropriate distributions for describing the Košice fragmentation process. The most probable scenario suggests that the Košice meteoroid, prior to further extensive fragmentation in the lower atmosphere, was initially represented by two independent pieces with cumulative residual masses of approximately 2 kg and 9 kg respectively (Gritsevich et al. 2014). About 1/3 of the recovered Košice fragments were thoroughly studied, including magnetic susceptibility, bulk and grain density measurements reported by Kohout et al. (2014). This analysis revealed that the Košice meteorites are H5 ordinary chondrites that originated from a homogenous parent meteoroid. To estimate the dynamic mass of the main fragment, we studied the first integral of the drag and mass-loss equations, and the geometrical relation along the meteor trajectory in the atmosphere. By matching these equations to the trajectory data obtained by Borovička et al. (2013), we determine key dimensionless parameters responsible for the meteoroid drag and ablation rate along its visual path in the atmosphere. These parameters allow us to estimate the pre-atmospheric mass, which is in good agreement with the photometric estimate derived by Borovička et al. (2013). Throughout this study, we permit changes in meteoroid shape along the trajectory. Additionally, we estimate the initial shape of the Košice meteoroid based on a statistical analysis (Vinnikov et al. 2014). We also conclude that two to three larger Košice fragments of 500-1000g each should exist, but were either not recovered or not reported by illegal meteorite hunters.

Rickettsia vini n. sp. (Rickettsiaceae) infecting the tick Ixodes arboricola (Acari: Ixodidae).

PubMed

Novakova, Marketa; Costa, Francisco B; Krause, Frantisek; Literak, Ivan; Labruna, Marcelo B

2016-08-26

Recently, a new rickettsia named 'Candidatus Rickettsia vini' belonging to the spotted fever group has been molecularly detected in Ixodes arboricola ticks in Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Turkey, with prevalence reaching up to 100 %. The aim of this study was to isolate this rickettsia in pure culture, and to describe it as a new Rickettsia species. A total of 148 ornitophilic nidicolous ticks Ixodes arboricola were collected in a forest near Breclav (Czech Republic) and examined for rickettsiae. Shell vial technique was applied to isolate rickettsiae in Vero cells. Rickettsial isolation was confirmed by optical microscopy and sequencing of partial sequences of the rickettsial genes gltA, ompA, ompB, and htrA. Laboratory guinea pigs and chickens were used for experimental infestations and infections. Animal blood sera were tested by immunofluorescence assay employing crude antigens of various rickettsiae. Rickettsia vini n. sp. was successfully isolated from three males of I. arboricola. Phylogenetic analysis of fragments of 1092, 590, 800, and 497 nucleotides of the gltA, ompA, ompB, and htrA genes, respectively, showed closest proximity of R. vini n. sp. to Rickettsia japonica and Rickettsia heilongjiangensis belonging to the spotted fever group. Experimental infection of guinea pigs and chickens with R. vini led to various levels of cross-reactions of R. vini-homologous antibodies with Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, 'Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii', Rickettsia rhipicephali, Rickettsia bellii, and Rickettsia felis. Laboratory infestations by R. vini-infected I. arboricola larvae on chickens led to no seroconversion to R. vini n. sp., nor cross-reactions with R. rickettsii, R. parkeri, 'Ca. R. amblyommii', R. rhipicephali, R. bellii or R. felis. Our results suggest that R. vini n. sp. is possibly a tick endosymbiont, not pathogenic for guinea pigs and chickens. Regarding specific phenotypic characters and significant differences of DNA sequences in comparison to the most closely related species (R. japonica and R. heilongjiangensis), we propose to classify the isolate as a new species, Rickettsia vini.

Regional geographic variations in kidney cancer incidence rates in European countries.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Znaor, Ariana; Holcatova, Ivana; Fabianova, Eleonora; Mates, Dana; Wozniak, Magdalena B; Ferlay, Jacques; Scelo, Ghislaine

2015-06-01

Marked unexplained national variations in incidence rates of kidney cancer have been observed for decades in Europe. To investigate geographic variations at the regional level and identify European regions with high incidence rates of kidney cancer. Regional- and national-level incidence data were extracted from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents databases, local cancer registry databases, and local published reports. World population age-standardised rates (ASRs) were calculated for the periods 2003-2007 and 1988-1992. Rates by period and sex were compared using map visualisation. During 2003-2007, the highest ASR was found in the Plzen region, Czech Republic (31.4/100,000 person-years in men). Other regions of the Czech Republic had ASRs of 18.6-27.5/100,000 in men, with a tendency for higher rates in regions south of Prague. Surrounding regions, including eastern Germany and regions of Slovakia and Austria, had medium-to-high incidence rates (13.0-16.8/100,000 in men). Three other areas in Europe showed higher incidence rates in men compared with the rest of the continent: Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Belarus (15.0-17.6/100,000); Iceland (13.5/100,000), and northern Italy (up to 16.0/100,000). Similar regional differences were observed among women, with rates approximately half of those observed in men in the same region. In general, these regional geographic variations remained stable over the periods 1988-1992 and 2003-2007, although higher incidence rates were detected in the Baltic countries in 2003-2007. Several European regions show particularly high rates of kidney cancer incidence. Large variations were observed within countries covered by national health-care systems, implying that overdetection is not the major factor. We present regional geographic variations in kidney cancer incidence rates in Europe. We highlight several regions with high incidence rates where further studies should be conducted for cancer control and prevention. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dancing red sprites and the lightning activity in their parent thunderstorm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bór, József; Zelkó, Zoltán; Hegedüs, Tibor; Jäger, Zoltán; Mlynarczyk, Janusz; Popek, Martin; Betz, Hans-Dieter

2016-04-01

Red sprites are brief optical emissions initiated in the mesosphere by intense tropospheric lightning discharges. A group of red sprites, in which the elements appear in rapid succession with some lateral offset from one another is referred to as a dancing sprite event. The occurrence of such events implies that significant and sequential charge removal extending to large regions of the thunderstorm can take place in the underlying cloud system. In this work, we examine the relation of the locations and observation times of appearing sprite elements to the temporal and spatial distribution of the lightning activity in a specific sprite-active thunderstorm. The selected mesoscale convective system (MCS) composed of several extremely active thundercloud cells crossed Central Europe from South-West to North-East through Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland on the night of 6 August, 2013. This MCS has triggered over one hundred sprites including several dancing sprite events. Video recordings of sprites captured from Sopron, Hungary (16.6°E, 47.7°N) and Nydek, Czech Republic (18.8°E, 49.7°N) were used to identify dancing sprite events and to determine the exact locations of the appearing sprite elements by a triangulation technique used originally to analyze meteor observations. Lightning activity in the MCS can be reviewed using the database of LINET lightning detection network which fully covers the region of interest (ROI). The poster demonstrates how cases of sequential charge removal in the thunderstorm can be followed by combining the available information on the occurrence time, location, polarity, and type (CG/IC) of detected lightning strokes in the ROI on one hand and the occurrence time and location of elements in dancing sprite events on the other hand.

PHENIX Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adare, A.; Afanasiev, S.; Aidala, C.; Ajitanand, N. N.; Akiba, Y.; Akimoto, R.; Al-Bataineh, H.; Al-Ta'ani, H.; Alexander, J.; Alfred, M.; Andrews, K. R.; Angerami, A.; Aoki, K.; Apadula, N.; Aphecetche, L.; Appelt, E.; Aramaki, Y.; Armendariz, R.; Aronson, S. H.; Asai, J.; Asano, H.; Aschenauer, E. C.; Atomssa, E. T.; Averbeck, R.; Awes, T. C.; Azmoun, B.; Babintsev, V.; Bai, M.; Bai, X.; Baksay, G.; Baksay, L.; Baldisseri, A.; Bandara, N. S.; Bannier, B.; Barish, K. N.; Barnes, P. D.; Barnes, P. D.; Bassalleck, B.; Basye, A. T.; Bathe, S.; Batsouli, S.; Baublis, V.; Baumann, C.; Baumgart, S.; Bazilevsky, A.; Beaumier, M.; Beckman, S.; Belikov, S.; Belmont, R.; Ben-Benjamin, J.; Bennett, R.; Berdnikov, A.; Berdnikov, Y.; Bhom, J. H.; Bickley, A. A.; Bing, X.; Black, D.; Blau, D. S.; Boissevain, J. G.; Bok, J.; Bok, J. S.; Borel, H.; Boyle, K.; Brooks, M. L.; Broxmeyer, D.; Bryslawskyj, J.; Buesching, H.; Bumazhnov, V.; Bunce, G.; Butsyk, S.; Camacho, C. M.; Campbell, S.; Caringi, A.; Castera, P.; Chang, B. S.; Chang, W. C.; Charvet, J.-L.; Chen, C.-H.; Chernichenko, S.; Chi, C. Y.; Chiba, J.; Chiu, M.; Choi, I. J.; Choi, J. B.; Choi, S.; Choudhury, R. K.; Christiansen, P.; Chujo, T.; Chung, P.; Churyn, A.; Chvala, O.; Cianciolo, V.; Citron, Z.; Cleven, C. R.; Cole, B. A.; Comets, M. P.; Conesa del Valle, Z.; Connors, M.; Constantin, P.; Cronin, N.; Crossette, N.; Csanád, M.; Csörgő, T.; Dahms, T.; Dairaku, S.; Danchev, I.; Das, K.; Datta, A.; Daugherity, M. S.; David, G.; Dayananda, M. K.; Deaton, M. B.; DeBlasio, K.; Dehmelt, K.; Delagrange, H.; Denisov, A.; d'Enterria, D.; Deshpande, A.; Desmond, E. J.; Dharmawardane, K. V.; Dietzsch, O.; Ding, L.; Dion, A.; Do, J. H.; Donadelli, M.; Drapier, O.; Drees, A.; Drees, K. A.; Dubey, A. K.; Durham, J. M.; Durum, A.; Dutta, D.; Dzhordzhadze, V.; D'Orazio, L.; Edwards, S.; Efremenko, Y. V.; Egdemir, J.; Ellinghaus, F.; Emam, W. S.; Engelmore, T.; Enokizono, A.; En'yo, H.; Esumi, S.; Eyser, K. O.; Fadem, B.; Feege, N.; Fields, D. E.; Finger, M.; Finger, M.; Fleuret, F.; Fokin, S. L.; Fraenkel, Z.; Frantz, J. E.; Franz, A.; Frawley, A. D.; Fujiwara, K.; Fukao, Y.; Fusayasu, T.; Gadrat, S.; Gainey, K.; Gal, C.; Gallus, P.; Garg, P.; Garishvili, A.; Garishvili, I.; Ge, H.; Giordano, F.; Glenn, A.; Gong, H.; Gong, X.; Gonin, M.; Gosset, J.; Goto, Y.; Granier de Cassagnac, R.; Grau, N.; Greene, S. V.; Grim, G.; Grosse Perdekamp, M.; Gu, Y.; Gunji, T.; Guo, L.; Guragain, H.; Gustafsson, H.-Å.; Hachiya, T.; Hadj Henni, A.; Haegemann, C.; Haggerty, J. S.; Hahn, K. I.; Hamagaki, H.; Hamblen, J.; Han, R.; Han, S. Y.; Hanks, J.; Harada, H.; Harper, C.; Hartouni, E. P.; Haruna, K.; Hasegawa, S.; Hashimoto, K.; Haslum, E.; Hayano, R.; Hayashi, S.; He, X.; Heffner, M.; Hemmick, T. K.; Hester, T.; Hiejima, H.; Hill, J. C.; Hobbs, R.; Hohlmann, M.; Hollis, R. S.; Holzmann, W.; Homma, K.; Hong, B.; Horaguchi, T.; Hori, Y.; Hornback, D.; Hoshino, T.; Huang, J.; Huang, S.; Ichihara, T.; Ichimiya, R.; Ide, J.; Iinuma, H.; Ikeda, Y.; Imai, K.; Imazu, Y.; Imrek, J.; Inaba, M.; Inoue, Y.; Iordanova, A.; Isenhower, D.; Isenhower, L.; Ishihara, M.; Isinhue, A.; Isobe, T.; Issah, M.; Isupov, A.; Ivanischev, D.; Ivanishchev, D.; Iwanaga, Y.; Jacak, B. V.; Javani, M.; Jeon, S. J.; Jezghani, M.; Jia, J.; Jiang, X.; Jin, J.; Jinnouchi, O.; John, D.; Johnson, B. M.; Jones, T.; Joo, E.; Joo, K. S.; Jouan, D.; Jumper, D. S.; Kajihara, F.; Kametani, S.; Kamihara, N.; Kamin, J.; Kanda, S.; Kaneta, M.; Kaneti, S.; Kang, B. H.; Kang, J. H.; Kang, J. S.; Kanou, H.; Kapustinsky, J.; Karatsu, K.; Kasai, M.; Kawall, D.; Kawashima, M.; Kazantsev, A. V.; Kempel, T.; Key, J. A.; Khachatryan, V.; Khandai, P. K.; Khanzadeev, A.; Kihara, K.; Kijima, K. M.; Kikuchi, J.; Kim, A.; Kim, B. I.; Kim, C.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, D. J.; Kim, E.; Kim, E.-J.; Kim, H.-J.; Kim, H. J.; Kim, K.-B.; Kim, M.; Kim, S. H.; Kim, Y.-J.; Kim, Y. K.; Kinney, E.; Kiriluk, K.; Kiss, Á.; Kistenev, E.; Kiyomichi, A.; Klatsky, J.; Klay, J.; Klein-Boesing, C.; Kleinjan, D.; Kline, P.; Koblesky, T.; Kochenda, L.; Kochetkov, V.; Kofarago, M.; Komatsu, Y.; Komkov, B.; Konno, M.; Koster, J.; Kotchetkov, D.; Kotov, D.; Kozlov, A.; Král, A.; Kravitz, A.; Krizek, F.; Kubart, J.; Kunde, G. J.; Kurihara, N.; Kurita, K.; Kurosawa, M.; Kweon, M. J.; Kwon, Y.; Kyle, G. S.; Lacey, R.; Lai, Y. S.; Lajoie, J. G.; Layton, D.; Lebedev, A.; Lee, B.; Lee, D. M.; Lee, G. H.; Lee, J.; Lee, K.; Lee, K. B.; Lee, K. S.; Lee, M. K.; Lee, S. H.; Lee, S. R.; Lee, T.; Leitch, M. J.; Leite, M. A. L.; Leitgab, M.; Leitner, E.; Lenzi, B.; Lewis, B.; Li, X.; Lichtenwalner, P.; Liebing, P.; Lim, S. H.; Linden Levy, L. A.; Liška, T.; Litvinenko, A.; Liu, H.; Liu, M. X.; Love, B.; Luechtenborg, R.; Lynch, D.; Maguire, C. F.; Makdisi, Y. I.; Maai, M.; Malakhov, A.; Malik, M. D.; Manion, A.; Manko, V. I.; Mannel, E.; Mao, Y.; Maruyama, T.; Mašek, L.; Masui, H.; Masumoto, S.; Matathias, F.; McCumber, M.; McGaughey, P. L.; McGlinchey, D.; McKinney, C.; Means, N.; Meles, A.; Mendoza, M.; Meredith, B.; Miake, Y.; Mibe, T.; Midori, J.; Mignerey, A. C.; Mikeš, P.; Miki, K.; Miller, A. J.; Miller, T. E.; Milov, A.; Mioduszewski, S.; Mishra, D. K.; Mishra, M.; Mitchell, J. T.; Mitrovski, M.; Miyachi, Y.; Miyasaka, S.; Mizuno, S.; Mohanty, A. K.; Montuenga, P.; Moon, H. J.; Moon, T.; Morino, Y.; Morreale, A.; Morrison, D. P.; Moskowitz, M.; Motschwiller, S.; Moukhanova, T. V.; Mukhopadhyay, D.; Murakami, T.; Murata, J.; Mwai, A.; Nagae, T.; Nagamiya, S.; Nagata, Y.; Nagle, J. L.; Naglis, M.; Nagy, M. I.; Nakagawa, I.; Nakagomi, H.; Nakamiya, Y.; Nakamura, K. R.; Nakamura, T.; Nakano, K.; Nam, S.; Nattrass, C.; Nederlof, A.; Netrakanti, P. K.; Newby, J.; Nguyen, M.; Nihashi, M.; Niida, T.; Norman, B. E.; Nouicer, R.; Novak, T.; Novitzky, N.; Nukariya, A.; Nyanin, A. S.; Oakley, C.; Obayashi, H.; O'Brien, E.; Oda, S. X.; Ogilvie, C. A.; Ohnishi, H.; Oide, H.; Oka, M.; Okada, K.; Omiwade, O. O.; Onuki, Y.; Orjuela Koop, J. D.; Oskarsson, A.; Ouchida, M.; Ozaki, H.; Ozawa, K.; Pak, R.; Pal, D.; Palounek, A. P. T.; Pantuev, V.; Papavassiliou, V.; Park, B. H.; Park, I. H.; Park, J.; Park, S.; Park, S. K.; Park, W. J.; Pate, S. F.; Patel, L.; Patel, M.; Pei, H.; Peng, J.-C.; Pereira, H.; Perepelitsa, D. V.; Perera, G. D. N.; Peresedov, V.; Peressounko, D. Yu.; Perry, J.; Petti, R.; Pinkenburg, C.; Pinson, R.; Pisani, R. P.; Proissl, M.; Purschke, M. L.; Purwar, A. K.; Qu, H.; Rak, J.; Rakotozafindrabe, A.; Ravinovich, I.; Read, K. F.; Rembeczki, S.; Reuter, M.; Reygers, K.; Reynolds, D.; Riabov, V.; Riabov, Y.; Richardson, E.; Riveli, N.; Roach, D.; Roche, G.; Rolnick, S. D.; Romana, A.; Rosati, M.; Rosen, C. A.; Rosendahl, S. S. E.; Rosnet, P.; Rowan, Z.; Rubin, J. G.; Rukoyatkin, P.; Ružička, P.; Rykov, V. L.; Ryu, M. S.; Sahlmueller, B.; Saito, N.; Sakaguchi, T.; Sakai, S.; Sakashita, K.; Sakata, H.; Sako, H.; Samsonov, V.; Sano, M.; Sano, S.; Sarsour, M.; Sato, S.; Sato, T.; Savastio, M.; Sawada, S.; Schaefer, B.; Schmoll, B. K.; Sedgwick, K.; Seele, J.; Seidl, R.; Sekiguchi, Y.; Semenov, A. Yu.; Semenov, V.; Sen, A.; Seto, R.; Sett, P.; Sexton, A.; Sharma, D.; Shaver, A.; Shein, I.; Shevel, A.; Shibata, T.-A.; Shigaki, K.; Shim, H. H.; Shimomura, M.; Shoji, K.; Shukla, P.; Sickles, A.; Silva, C. L.; Silvermyr, D.; Silvestre, C.; Sim, K. S.; Singh, B. K.; Singh, C. P.; Singh, V.; Skolnik, M.; Skutnik, S.; Slunečka, M.; Sodre, T.; Solano, S.; Soldatov, A.; Soltz, R. A.; Sondheim, W. E.; Sorensen, S. P.; Soumya, M.; Sourikova, I. V.; Sparks, N. A.; Staley, F.; Stankus, P. W.; Steinberg, P.; Stenlund, E.; Stepanov, M.; Ster, A.; Stoll, S. P.; Stone, M. R.; Sugitate, T.; Suire, C.; Sukhanov, A.; Sumita, T.; Sun, J.; Sziklai, J.; Tabaru, T.; Takagi, S.; Takagui, E. M.; Takahara, A.; Taketani, A.; Tanabe, R.; Tanaka, Y.; Taneja, S.; Tanida, K.; Tannenbaum, M. J.; Tarafdar, S.; Taranenko, A.; Tarján, P.; Tennant, E.; Themann, H.; Thomas, D.; Thomas, T. L.; Timilsina, A.; Todoroki, T.; Togawa, M.; Toia, A.; Tojo, J.; Tomášek, L.; Tomášek, M.; Tomita, Y.; Torii, H.; Towell, M.; Towell, R.; Towell, R. S.; Tram, V.-N.; Tserruya, I.; Tsuchimoto, Y.; Tsuji, T.; Utsunomiya, K.; Vale, C.; Valle, H.; van Hecke, H. W.; Vargyas, M.; Vazquez-Zambrano, E.; Veicht, A.; Velkovska, J.; Vértesi, R.; Vinogradov, A. A.; Virius, M.; Voas, B.; Vossen, A.; Vrba, V.; Vznuzdaev, E.; Wagner, M.; Walker, D.; Wang, X. R.; Watanabe, D.; Watanabe, K.; Watanabe, Y.; Watanabe, Y. S.; Wei, F.; Wei, R.; Wessels, J.; Whitaker, S.; White, S. N.; Winter, D.; Wolin, S.; Wood, J. P.; Woody, C. L.; Wright, R. M.; Wysocki, M.; Xia, B.; Xie, W.; Xue, L.; Yalcin, S.; Yamaguchi, Y. L.; Yamaura, K.; Yang, R.; Yanovich, A.; Yasin, Z.; Ying, J.; Yokkaichi, S.; Yoo, J. S.; Yoon, I.; You, Z.; Young, G. R.; Younus, I.; Yushmanov, I. E.; Zajc, W. A.; Zaudtke, O.; Zelenski, A.; Zhang, C.; Zhou, S.; Zimányi, J.; Zolin, L.

2014-11-01

We thank the staff of the Collider-Accelerator and Physics Departments at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the staff of the other PHENIX participating institutions for their vital contributions. We acknowledge support from the Office of Nuclear Physics in the Office of Science of the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, a sponsored research grant from Renaissance Technologies LLC, Abilene Christian University Research Council, Research Foundation of SUNY, and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Vanderbilt University (USA), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Japan), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico and Fundaç ao de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Brazil), Natural Science Foundation of China (People's Republic of China), Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports (Croatia), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Czech Republic), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique, and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules (France), Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, and Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung (Germany), OTKA NK 101 428 grant and the Ch. Simonyi Fund (Hungary), Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science and Technology (India), Israel Science Foundation (Israel), National Research Foundation and WCU program of the Ministry Education Science and Technology (Korea), Physics Department, Lahore University of Management Sciences (Pakistan), Ministry of Education and Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Agency of Atomic Energy (Russia), VR and Wallenberg Foundation (Sweden), the US Civilian Research and Development Foundation for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union, and the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation.

15 CFR 742.6 - Regional stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands..., Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland..., France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta...

Structural change in a system of urban places: the 20th-century evolution of Hungary's urban settlement network.

PubMed

Zovanyi, G

1986-02-01

A review of urban change in Hungary in the twentieth century is presented. Both the traditional approach to studying urban change, involving changes in the percentage of those residing in urban areas, and the newly developed approach, focusing on regional aspects of urbanization, are used in the analysis. "In sharp contrast to most European countries Hungary is shown to evidence continued centralization of urban development, but the recent experience of Budapest and other indicators are said to portend future decentralization." (summary in FRE, GER) excerpt

PREFACE: XXIVth Conference of the Danubian Countries on the Hydrological Forecasting and Hydrological Bases of Water Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brilly, Mitja; Bonacci, Ognjen; Nachtnebel, Peter Hans; Szolgay, Ján; Balint, Gabor

2008-10-01

This volume of IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science presents a selection of papers that were given at the 24th Conference of the Danube Countries. Within the framework of the International Hydrological Program IHP of UNESCO. Since 1961 the Danube countries have successfully co-operated in organizing conferences on Hydrological Forecasting and Hydrological Water Management Issues. The 24th Conference of the Danube Countries took place between 2-4 June 2008 in Bled, Slovenia and was organized by the National Committee of Slovenia for the International Hydrological Program of UNESCO, under the auspices of the President of Republic of Slovenia. It was organized jointly by the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO and the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, under the support of UNESCO, WMO, and IAHS. Support for the attendance of some participants was provided by UNESCO. Additional support for the symposium was provided by the Slovene Commission for UNESCO, Environmental Agency of Slovenia, Karst Research Institute, Hydropower plants on the lower Sava River and Chair of Hydraulics Engineering FGG University of Ljubljana. All participants expressed great interest and enthusiasm in presenting the latest research results and sharing practical experiences in the Hydrology of the Danube River basin. The Editorial Board, who were nominated at the Conference, initially selected 80 full papers for publication from 210 submitted extended abstracts and papers provided by authors from twenty countries. Altogether 51 revised papers were accepted for publishing in this volume. Papers are divided by conference topics: Hydrological forecasting Hydro-meteorological extremes, floods and droughts Global climate change and antropogenic impacts on hydrological processes Water management Floods, morphological processes, erosion, sediment transport and sedimentation Developments in hydrology Mitja Brilly, Ognjen Bonacci, Peter Hans Nachtnebel, Ján Szolgay and Gabor Balint Editorial Board International Scientific Committee: P Hubert: Centre d'Informatique Géologique, France H P Nachtnebel: Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria H Weber: Bavarian Water Management Administration, Germany H Moser: Federal Institute of Hydrology, Germany M Domokos: VITUKI, Hungary P Stanciu: National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Romania O Bonacci: University of Split, Croatia S Prohaska: Institute Jaroslav Černi, Belgrade, Serbia J Szolgay: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Bratislava, Slovak Republic K Tzankov: Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Sofia, Bulgaria E Soukalová: Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, Czech Republic B Matičič: National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, Slovenia M Mikoš: University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia J Rakovec: University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia M Brilly: University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia M Veselič: ARAO, Slovenia

Acanthocephalans of the genus Centrorhynchus (Palaeacanthocephala: Centrorhynchidae) of birds of prey (Falconiformes) and owls (Strigiformes) in Slovakia.

PubMed

Komorová, P; Špakulová, M; Hurníková, Z; Uhrín, M

2015-06-01

Three species of thorny-headed worms of the genus Centrorhynchus were found to parasitize birds of prey and owls in the territory of the Slovakia during the years 2012-2014. Out of 286 examined bird individuals belonging to 23 species, only Buteo buteo, Buteo rufinus, Falco tinnunculus (Falconiformes), Asio otus, Strix aluco, Strix uralensis and Tyto alba (Strigiformes) were infected by acanthocephalans. All the bird species except for S. aluco represent new host records for Slovakia. The most prevalent acanthocephalan Centrorhynchus aluconis was detected in all 15 examined birds of non-migratory Ural owl S. uralensis (P = 100%); however, it was found occasionally also in two individuals of the tawny owl S. aluco (P = 20%), one long-eared owl A. otus (P = 7.7%), one barn owl T. alba (P = 33.3%) and the common buzzard B. buteo (P = 0.8%). Two other thorny-headed worms occurred exclusively in Falconiformes in raw or mixed infections: Centrorhynchus buteonis was found in 11 individuals of B. buteo (P = 9.2%), and two birds (B. buteo and B. rufinus) were parasitized simultaneously by C. buteonis and the species Centrorhynchus globocaudatus. Moreover, the latest, relatively rare acanthocephalan was found alone in two common kestrels F. tinnunculus (P = 2.7%). Regarding intensity of infection, it ranged from a single female of C. buteonis, C. globocaudatus or C. aluconis per host (four cases) to a maximum of 82 C. aluconis per an Ural owl. The difference in acanthocephalan species spectrum between birds of prey and owls in Slovakia was apparent.

Country profile: Hungary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-09-01

Country Profile: Hungary has been prepared as a background document for use by US Government agencies and US businesses interested in becoming involved with the new democracies of Eastern Europe as they pursue sustainable economic development. The focus of the Profile is on energy and highlights information on Hungary`s energy supply, demand, and utilization. It identifies patterns of energy usage in the important economic sectors, especially industry, and provides a preliminary assessment for opportunities to improve efficiencies in energy production, distribution and use by introducing more efficient technologies. The use of more efficient technologies would have the added benefit ofmore » reducing the environmental impact which, although is not the focus of the report, is an issue that effects energy choices. The Profile also presents considerable economic information, primarily in the context of how economic restructuring may affect energy supply, demand, and the introduction of more efficient technologies.« less

Linkage of autosomal recessive primary congenital glaucoma to the GLC3A locus in Roms (Gypsies) from Slovakia.

PubMed

Plásilová, M; Feráková, E; Kádasi, L; Poláková, H; Gerinec, A; Ott, J; Ferák, V

1998-01-01

The autosomal recessive form of primary congenital glaucoma (gene symbol GLC3) has been recently mapped to two different loci, GLC3A (at 2p21), and GLC3B (at 1p36), respectively, on families of Turkish and Saudi Arabian provenance. This disorder is known to occur with an extremely high incidence in Roms (Gypsies) in Slovakia. We performed a standard linkage analysis on a sample of 7 Slovak Gypsy families comprising 18 affected members, and found significant linkage with four STR markers from the chromosomal region of 2p21 (D2S1788, D2S1346, D2S2328, and D2S1356), without heterogeneity. This finding demonstrates that in the Rom population of Slovakia, primary congenital glaucoma is due to the locus GLC3A, and consequently, to the mutation(s) in the cytochrome P4501B1 gene, which has been recently identified as the principal cause of the disease. Roms represent the third population, in which the disorder has been mapped to GLC3A.

Case study of the 9 May 2003 windstorm in southwestern Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaňák, Ján; Benko, Martin; Simon, André; Sokol, Alois

2007-02-01

May 9, 2003 thunderstorm in southwest Slovakia is considered one of the most severe convective events to have happened in Slovakia during the past ten years. The majority of the reported damage was caused by very strong outflowing winds and hail. The downburst (macroburst) nature of the event was confirmed by a damage survey carried out in the area hit by the thunderstorm. The supercell nature of the storm was inferred from radar measurements, with the fields of radar reflectivity and radial Doppler velocity showing typical supercell features (e.g. BWER echo). The satellite imagery (from METEOSAT 7) indicated a large-scale dry air intrusion as a possible factor of downdraft enhancement. Aspects of the storm environment were inferred from soundings, numerical analysis of the ALADIN model and Velocity Azimuth Display data from radar. The results enable comparison of the outputs of several instability indices, such as CAPE, DCAPE and Storm to Relative Environmental Helicity (SREH). It was concluded based on structure and development that the storm showed many similarities to the so called High Precipitation (HP) supercell type.

The State of the Environmental Awareness of Students from Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine - Selected Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cynk, Karolina

2017-03-01

In the article was presented results of international researches about environmental consciousness. The project was realized in 2015. The main purpose of this article is to describe the level of environmental knowledge, values and attitudes among university students from Central Eastern Europe. In introduction of article was defined concept of environmental awareness. The research problem is question: What are differences in the state of environmental awareness between respondents living in the Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine? In the first part text was presented methodology of the conducted research. The second part of the article concerns the analysis of the collected data. On the basis of the conducted research it can maintain that the students of Central and Eastern Europe generally declared interest the state of the environment. The overall outcome of the research leads to the conclusion that the highest proportion of the respondents who declared interest in the environmental protection came from Slovakia. The fact that in their opinion it should care about the environment more than the students from Poland and Ukraine may result from the higher level of the environmental awareness.

Regional and ethnic aspects of viral hepatitis B among pregnant women.

PubMed

Kristian, Pavol; Veselská, Zuzana Dankulincová; Paralicová, Zuzana; Jarcuska, Peter; Virág, Ladislav; Valková, Ivana; Schréter, Ivan

2013-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in districts of Eastern Slovakia with a diverse prevalence of Roma population. Overall 59,279 serum samples from 9 regional departments of clinical microbiology from Eastern Slovakia were collected in the period from January 2008 till December 2009 and analysed. The number of HBsAg positive samples overall and during pregnancy was 1.74% and 2.12%, respectively. Comparing districts with higher (> 5%) and lower (< 5%) Roma population, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of HBsAg positive samples overall (1.95% vs.1.62%). However, in the subgroup of pregnant women the prevalence of HBsAg positive samples (2.72% vs. 0.95%) differs significantly (p < 0.01). The prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in Eastern Slovakia did not rapidly exceed the estimated nationwide prevalence. However, in districts with higher Roma population the expected higher prevalence of HBV infection was confirmed. This indicates the need to pay special attention to the prevention of hepatitis B in these districts.

SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN HUNGARY: I. NUCLEAR SCIENCE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bacha, E.

1959-05-22

Scientific and research institutions in Hungary engaged in research in the field of nuclear science are discussed. Brief descriptions are included of the Central Research Institute of Physics, the Institute of Nuclear Research the Joliot-Curie Central Research Institute of Radiobiology, and the Physics Laboratory of the Otvos Lorand Radium and X-Ray Institute. The recently completed experimental reactor at Budapest and isotope research laboratories are described. Plans for an atomic power plant are discussed. Uranium deposits in Hungary are also discussed. A list of recent publications in the field of nuclear science is included. (C.W)

Fetal adrenal gland enlargement - prenatal and postnatal management.

PubMed

Lackova, Eliska; Cunderlik, Anton; Ticha, Lubica; Gabor, Maria

2017-11-01

The enlargement of suprarenal gland is related to preterm birth and the birth weight. The ultrasound measurement of fetal adrenal gland volume may identify women at risk for impending preterm birth. The aim of our study was to investigate the newborns in the region of western Slovakia followed up due to suprarenal gland enlargement. To set the ratio of prenatally diagnosed suprarenal gland enlargment, postnatal managment and treatment and interventions. The newborns with congenital adrenal hyperplasia were excluded. We have analyzed 6 years of medical records of all cases from the western Slovakia region of suprarenal gland enlargement encountered to 1st Pediatric Department, Children's University Hospital Bratislava Republic in the time period of January 2010 to Janurary 2016. The diagnosis of suprarenal gland enlargement was set by ultrasound examination performed on the 4th postnatal day as an overall screening test. Newborns with positive laboratory screening on congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) were excluded from our study. We analyzed the origin of surarenal gland enlargement, gestation week on the due date, the birth weight and other comorbidities and genetic pathologies in newborns with the enlarged suprarenal glands. There were 6 newborns followed up due to suprarenal gland enlargement. All of the patients had diagnosed the adrenal haemorrhage. Adrenal lesions like adrenal cysts or neuroblastomas were not confirmed. All of the adrenal enlargements were benign with no need of other medical or surgical intervention. None of the newborn patients had other genetic abnormalities, mineral or hormonal imbalances, problems with arterial pressure or haemodynamic instability. All of the patients underwent at least 5 prenatal ultrasound tests and at least 2 postnatal ultrasound measurements. The avarage birth weight was 3030 grams (2700 grams - to 3750 grams). The avarage birth lenght was 50 cm (47 centimeter to 53 cm).The average gestation week (gw) on due date was 39 gw. 85% from the patients were born on 40 gw, 15% on 39 gw. We didn't confirm the relation between the suprarenal gland enlargement and the preterm birth (≤ 34 weeks' gestation). In the period of 6 years we didn't find a newborn patient with the prenatal diagnosis of suprarenal gland enlargement. The adrenal gland enlargement didn't have a relation with the low gestation birth, weight, length or the preterm birth.

Education Policy Outlook: Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterka, Judith; Pont, Beatriz; Figueroa, Diana Toledo; Fraccola, Sylvain

2015-01-01

This policy profile on education in Hungary is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectorial policy knowledge base, the…

Environmental analyse of soil organic carbon stock changes in Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koco, Š.; Barančíková, G.; Skalský, R.; Tarasovičová, Z.; Gutteková, M.; Halas, J.; Makovníková, J.; Novákova, M.

2012-04-01

The content and quality of soil organic matter is one of the basic soil parameters on which soil production functioning depends as well as it is active in non production soil functions like an ecological one especially. Morphologic segmentation of Slovakia has significant influence of structure in using agricultural soil in specific areas of our territory. Also social changes of early 90´s of 20´th century made their impact on change of using of agricultural soil (transformation from large farms to smaller ones, decreasing the number of livestock). This research is studying changes of development of soil organic carbon stock (SOC) in agricultural soil of Slovakia as results of climatic as well as social and political changes which influenced agricultury since last 40 years. The main goal of this research is an analysis of soil organic carbon stock since 1970 until now at specific agroclimatic regions of Slovakia and statistic analysis of relation between modelled data of SOC stock and soil quality index value. Changes of SOC stock were evaluated on the basis SOC content modeling using RothC-26.3 model. From modeling of SOC stock results the outcome is that in that time the soil organic carbon stock was growing until middle 90´s years of 20´th century with the highest value in 1994. Since that year until new millennium SOC stock is slightly decreasing. After 2000 has slightly increased SOC stock so far. According to soil management SOC stock development on arable land is similar to overall evolution. In case of grasslands after slight growth of SOC stock since 1990 the stock is in decline. This development is result of transformational changes after 1989 which were specific at decreasing amount of organic carbon input from organic manure at grassland areas especially. At warmer agroclimatic regions where mollic fluvisols and chernozems are present and where are soils with good quality and steady soil organic matter (SOM) the amount of SOC in monitored time is still growing. At colder agroclimatic regions, at flysch region especially where cambisols are present with low of SOM stability since 1994 stability or decreasing of SOC stock is resulting. This is result of climatic impact (lower temperatures, higher humidity) as well as the way of soil management because at colder region the number of glasslands is increased in comparison to arable land. Close relationship between SOC stock and soil production potential index representing the official basis for soil quality evaluation in Slovakia was also determined and a polynomial model was found which describes the relation at the 95% confidence level. From the obtained results it can be concluded, that the amount of crop residues and farmyard manure coming to the soil both in the first and second simulation period (1970 - 1995 and 1996 - 2007) was responsible for general trends in SOC stock dynamics. Achieved results also show different amount and changes of SOC stock in different agroclimatic regions. It was also found that that value of soil production potential index generally used for soil quality assessment in Slovakia corresponds well with simulated values of SOC stocks in top-soils of cropland soils. Key words Soil organic carbon stock, modelling, agricultural soils, agroclimatic regions, Slovakia Acknowledgements This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. APVV-0333-06.

[Prevention of neonatal group B streptococcal sepsis in Hungary in 2012. Preliminary data of a nation-wide survey].

PubMed

Sziller, István; Szabó, Miklós; Valek, Andrea; Rigó, Barbara; Ács, Nándor

2014-07-20

At present, there is no obligatory guideline for the prevention of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal disease in Hungary. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the spontaneously developed preventive strategy of the domestic obstetric divisions and departments in Hungary. Standardized questionnaire was sent out to each of the 71 obstetric divisions and departments in Hungary. Overall, 20 (27.4%) of the chairpersons replied, and thus, 39.9% of the total number of live births in Hungary were included in the study. Despite missing public health guidelines, each of the divisions and departments developed their own strategy to prevent neonatal group B streptococcal disease. In 95% of cases, bacterial culture of the lower vagina was the method of identifying pregnant women at risk. In 5% of the cases intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis was based on risk assessment only. Of the departments using culture-based prophylaxis, 58% departments sampled women after completion of 36th gestational weeks. Antibiotic of choice was penicillin or ampicillin in 100% of cases. Of the study participants, 80% reported on multiple administration of colonized pregnant women after onset of labor or rupture of the membranes. The authors concluded that the rate of participation in the study was low. However, prevention of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal infection is a priority of obstetric care in Hungary. Lack of a nation-wide public health policy did not prevent obstetric institutions in this country to develop their own prevention strategy. In the majority of cases and institutions, the policy is consistent with the widely accepted international standards.

Areal and Temporal Analysis of Precipitation Patterns In Slovakia Using Spectral Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pishvaei, M. R.

Harmonic analysis as an objective method of precipitation seasonality studying is ap- plied to the 1901-2000 monthly precipitation averages at five stations in the low-land part of Slovakia with elevation less than 800 m a.s.l. The significant harmonics of long-term precipitation series have been separately computed for eight 30-year peri- ods, which cover the 20th century and some properties and the variations are com- pared to 100-year monthly precipitation averages. The selected results show that the first and the second harmonics pre-dominantly influence on the annual distribution and climatic seasonal regimes of pre-cipitation that contribute to the precipitation am- plitude/pattern with about 20% and 10%, respectively. These indicate annual and half year variations. The rest harmon-ics often have each less than 5% contribution on the Fourier interpolation course. Maximum in yearly precipitation course, which oc- curs approximately at the begin-ning of July, because of phase changing shifts then to the middle of June. Some probable reasons regarding to Fourier components are discussed. In addition, a tem-poral analysis over precipitation time series belonging to the Hurbanovo Observa-tory as the longest observational series on the territory of Slovakia (with 130-year precipitation records) has been individually performed and possible meteorological factors responsible for the observed patterns are suggested. A comparison of annual precipitation course obtained from daily precipitation totals analysis and polynomial trends with Fourier interpolation has been done too. Daily precipitation data in the latest period are compared for some stations in Slovakia as well. Only selected results are pre-sented in the poster.

Heat waves and warm periods in Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faško, Pavel; Bochníček, Oliver; Markovič, Ladislav; Švec, Marek

2016-04-01

The scenarios of climate change caused by human activity show that frequency of occurrence and extent of heat waves in the interior of Europe is increasing. Among the most exposed regions in this regard should the area of southeastern and eastern Austria and south-western Slovakia. The relatively faster increase in the number of heat waves in this area is related also to potential desertification in this region just east of the Alps, since during summer, weather fronts advancing from the west are consequently losing their original features and moderating influence. Summer weather patterns for this area should in the future more closely remind climate typical for some inland areas of southwestern, southern and southeastern Europe. A certain shift of climate zones from south to north should thus modify future climate and Slovakia. Despite the complex natural conditions the existing trends derived from results of meteorological measurements and observations are clear and they confirm warming of climate in this region. Observations and measurements in the recent years of the 21st century confirm, that heat waves are no longer rare phenomenon during summer, but are systematically appearing even in colder regions of northern Slovakia. What is very remarkable and will be necessary to pay more attention to, is the fact that these heat waves are expanding into previously unaffected areas, associated with the lack of rainfall and drought, on larger regional scale. In this study heat wave periods and individual heat events and days are statistically identified in the time series characteristics of air temperature at selected meteorological stations for the period from the mid-20th century until 2015, in case of available historical data even for longer period.

Intestinal and liver flukes of birds of prey (Accipitriformes, Falconiformes, Strigiformes) from Slovakia: uniform or diverse compound?

PubMed

Komorová, Petronela; Sitko, Jiljí; Špakulová, Marta; Hurníková, Zuzana

2016-07-01

During 2012-2014 up to 286 birds of the orders Falconiformes (5 species), Accipitriformes (11 species), and Strigiformes (7 species) were examined for trematodes and this represents the first detailed study in Slovakia. A total of 12 trematode species belonging to the families Diplostomidae, Cyathocotylidae, Strigeidae, and Opisthorchiidae were identified. Rare infections were found in falcons where only two species (40 %) and three of 85 examined birds (3.5 %) were infected with a low range of two to four worms of generalists Strigea falconis or Plagiorchis elegans. Contrary to that, ten accipitriformes species (90.9 %) and 63 of 156 bird individuals (40.4 %) were infected with nine flukes: Conodiplostomum perlatum, Conodiplostomum spathula, Neodiplostomum attenuatum, Neodiplostomum spathoides, Parastrigea flexilis, Strigea falconis, Strigea vandenbrokae, Paracoenogonimus ovatus, and Metorchis bilis. S. falconis and N. attenuatum were the most frequent, occurring in parallel in eight and four bird species, in numbers up to 575 and 224. The intensity of infection with other fluke species was low ranging from one to 13 worms. Three owl (Strigiformes) representatives (42.9 %) were exclusive hosts for Neodiplostomum canaliculatum and Strigea strigis, and the proportion of positive and dissected individual birds was 10:45 (22.2 %). Both trematodes occurred in two or three owl species. In conclusion, apparent dissimilarity of trematode load of three unrelated lines of falcons, eagles, and owls was revealed. The present study extends our knowledge on the composition of the trematode fauna in Slovakia as all species except S. falconis and P. elegans that represent new host and species records in Slovakia.

The consequences of land-cover changes on soil erosion distribution in Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cebecauer, Tomáš; Hofierka, Jaroslav

2008-06-01

Soil erosion is a complex process determined by mutual interaction of numerous factors. The aim of erosion research at regional scales is a general evaluation of the landscape susceptibility to soil erosion by water, taking into account the main factors influencing this process. One of the key factors influencing the susceptibility of a region to soil erosion is land cover. Natural as well as human-induced changes of landscape may result in both the diminishment and acceleration of soil erosion. Recent studies of land-cover changes indicate that during the last decade more than 4.11% of Slovak territory has changed. The objective of this study is to assess the influence of land-cover and crop rotation changes over the 1990-2000 period on the intensity and spatial pattern of soil erosion in Slovakia. The assessment is based on principles defined in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) modified for application at regional scale and the use of the CORINE land cover (CLC) databases for 1990 and 2000. The C factor for arable land has been refined using statistical data on the mean crop rotation and the acreage of particular agricultural crops in the districts of Slovakia. The L factor has been calculated using sample areas with parcels identified by LANDSAT TM data. The results indicate that the land-cover and crop rotation changes had a significant influence on soil erosion pattern predominately in the hilly and mountainous parts of Slovakia. The pattern of soil erosion changes exhibits high spatial variation with overall slightly decreased soil erosion risks. These changes are associated with ongoing land ownership changes, changing structure of crops, deforestation and afforestation.

Does the population living in Roma settlements differ in physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption from the majority population in Slovakia?

PubMed

Babinská, Ingrid; Gecková, Andrea Madarasová; Jarcuska, Peter; Pella, Daniel; Mareková, Mária; Stefková, Gabriela; Veselská, Zuzana Dankulincová

2014-03-01

Several studies have revealed a high prevalence of risk factors associated with unhealthy lifestyle among individuals with lower socioeconomic status. In Slovakia, one of the most socially and health-disadvantaged groups is the Roma minority. The aim of this study is to explore differences in physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption between the population living in Roma settlements and the majority population in Slovakia. Data from the cross-sectional epidemiological HepaMeta study conducted in Slovakia in 2011 were used. The sample consisted of 452 Roma (mean age = 34.7; 35.2% men) and 403 non-Roma (mean age = 33.5; 45.9% men) respondents. The differences in health-related behaviour between the population living in Roma settlements and the majority population were analysed using logistic models separately for males and females. These data show a clear difference between the population living in Roma settlements and the majority population with regard to leisure-time physical activity (only in women) and smoking, although not alcohol consumption. The prevalence of leisure-time physical activities such as walking or some other type of sport was significantly lower among Roma women than among non-Roma women. Men and women living in Roma settlements are more likely to smoke on a daily basis and they are heavier smokers in comparison with the majority population. HepaMeta study did not find differences in alcohol consumption between the Roma and non-Roma men. However, Roma women reported less frequent recent drinking and binge-drinking of 6 or more doses of alcohol on a single occasion. The higher prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle activities among Roma seem to contribute to these inequalities in cardiovascular diseases morbidity and mortality in comparison with the majority population.

A Second Chance School in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limbacher, Laszlo

2008-01-01

Hungary's "Belvarosi Tanoda" Secondary School offers an informal, flexible environment and alternative teaching methods for students who have had problems in other schools. The "Belvarosi Tanoda" (which translates as downtown school) is a second chance school for students who have dropped out of upper secondary education. It…

2015 Easter bolide over North Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hegedüs, T.; Csizmadia, S.; Zelkó, Z.; Kereszty, Z.; Bíró, Z.

2015-01-01

On Easter Monday, April 6, 2015, at UTC 17h31m (near sunset) there was a bright (peak magnitude -12 ~ -14) bolide which also produced a sonic boom, over North Hungary, close to Miskolc, above the Bükk mountains. The event was witnessed by many people, and recorded by several car dashboard-, meteorological and all sky cameras from as far away as Farád (North-West Hungary) and Görbeháza (North-East Hungary). Unfortunately, with the event having occurred only a few minutes after sunset, the sky was still bright and therefore the Hungarian Video meteor network cameras were not yet operating. Our team has collected and re-calibrated as much video and photo material as possible. Since there were very few direct images of the bolide itself, but more photos and videos of the persistent train left behind, these latter images were also used, in certain circumstances, in our calculations. The deduced final atmospheric path and heliocentric orbit are presented, along with the estimation of the errors.

[Cost-effectiveness of oral cancer screening in Hungary].

PubMed

Vokó, Zoltán; Túri, Gergő; Zsólyom, Adriána

2016-07-01

The burden of oral cancer is high in Hungary. To study the cost-effectiveness of potential oral cancer screening in Hungary. Three strategies were compared: no introduction of screening, organized yearly screening for 40-year-old males in general medical practise, and opportunistic screening of high risk 40-year-old males in primary care. Local estimates of health utilities and costs of each health state and of the screening programmes were identified. The main outcomes were total costs, quality adjusted life years, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Depending on the efficacy of the treatments of precancerous lesions and the participation rate, screening strategies are cost-effective over a 15-20 year time course. The opportunistic screening of high risk people is more cost-effective than the other strategies. Opportunistic screening of high risk people would be cost-effective in Hungary. The uncertainty about the efficacy of the treatments of precancerous lesions requires more research to support evidence based health policy making. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(29), 1161-1170.

Macroeconomic analysis of road vehicles related environmental pollution in Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Török, Árpád; Török, Ádám

2014-06-01

The article aims to examine the relationship between road transport and macro economy, especially the use of fossil energy in transport sector. Nowadays environmental pollution is a key issue on the EU level as well as in Hungary. Lots of effort have been already done in order to decrease emissions in road transport, but a lot more need to be done. The article aims to prove that the only possible solution is technological innovation in order to reach emission reduction target without decline of the GDP. The basic idea is to ensure sustainable development, to decrease environmental pollution in road transport without harming the economy. In the EU and in Hungary road vehicles are powered by fossil fuelled internal combustion engines. This paper aims to analyse the role of the fossil fuel-based road transport sector within the economy with the usage of constant elasticity substitution (CES) production functions. Authors have built CES production function for Hungary. Parameters were calculated based on the validated model.

Lithosphere temperature model and resource assessment for deep geothermal exploration in Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekesi, Eszter; van Wees, Jan-Diederik; Vrijlandt, Mark; Lenkey, Laszlo; Horvath, Ferenc

2017-04-01

The demand for deep geothermal energy has increased considerably over the past years. To reveal potential areas for geothermal exploration, it is crucial to have an insight into the subsurface temperature distribution. Hungary is one of the most suitable countries in Europe for geothermal development, as a result of Early and Middle Miocene extension and subsequent thinning of the lithosphere. Hereby we present the results of a new thermal model of Hungary extending from the surface down to the lithosphere-astenosphere boundary (LAB). Subsurface temperatures were calculated through a regular 3D grid with a horizontal resolution of 2.5 km, a vertical resolution of 200 m for the uppermost 7 km, and 3 km down to the depth of the LAB The model solves the heat equation in steady-state, assuming conduction as the main heat transfer mechanism. At the base, it adopts a constant basal temperature or heat flow condition. For the calibration of the model, more than 5000 temperature measurements were collected from the Geothermal Database of Hungary. The model is built up by five sedimentary layers, upper crust, lower crust, and lithospheric mantle, where each layer has its own thermal properties. The prior thermal properties and basal condition of the model is updated through the ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation technique. The conductive model shows misfits with the observed temperatures, which cannot be explained by neglected transient effects related to lithosphere extension. These anomalies are explained mostly by groundwater flow in Mesozoic carbonates and other porous sedimentary rocks. To account for the effect of heat convection, we use a pseudo-conductive approach by adjusting the thermal conductivity of the layers where fluid flow may occur. After constructing the subsurface temperature model of Hungary, the resource base for EGS (Enhanced Geothermal Systems) is quantified. To this end, we applied a cash-flow model to translate the geological potential into economical potential for different scenarios in Hungary. The calculations were made for each grid cell of the model. Results of the temperature modeling together with the economical resource assessment provide an indication on the potential sites for future EGS in Hungary.

Transposition and implementation of EU rare disease policy in Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Pejcic, Ana V; Iskrov, Georgi; Raycheva, Ralitsa; Stefanov, Rumen; Jakovljevic, Mihajlo Michael

2017-12-01

А series of European Union (EU) political decisions have made rare diseases one of the cornerstones of the common European health policy. Adopted in 2009, Council Recommendation on an action in the field of rare diseases aimed to serve as a policy-making guideline. However, the implementation report, which followed it, neither performed detailed cross-country comparison, nor assessed the impact of the policies. Areas covered: A 10-indicator set was elaborated to structure the review and to describe rare disease activities in 14 Eastern European countries. Expert commentary: Taking into account all indicators, EU member states outperform candidate and potential candidate countries in terms of rare disease policy planning and implementation. Hungary is the top performer, followed by Bulgaria and Czech Republic. Non-EU countries form the bottom tier, with Serbia being the best ranked among them. While EU adhesion is a major facilitator for planning and adopting rare disease policies, local stakeholders are the triggering factor for their successful implementation. European reference networks are likely to be the future of rare disease activities in the EU. They need to synchronize and closely collaborate with all important EU projects in the field of rare diseases if they are to achieve their objectives.

Results of international Dobson spectrophotometer calibrations at Arosa, Switzerland, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grass, R. D.; Komhyr, W. D.; Koenig, G. L.; Evans, R. D.

1994-01-01

An international comparison of Dobson ozone spectrophotometers, organized and partially funded by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), was held at the Lichtklimatisches Observatorium (LKO) in Arosa, Switzerland, July-August 1990. Countries participating with a total of 18 Dobson instruments were Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Soviet Socialist Republics. The reference standard instrument for the comparison was U.S.A. Secondary Standard Dobson Spectrophotometer 65 maintained by the NOAA Climate and Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado. The mean difference in ozone obtained with the Dobson instruments relative to Dobson instrument 65, calculated from ADDSGQP observations in the air mass range 1.15-3.2, was minus 1.0 plus or minus 1.2 (1 sigma) percent. The WMO Standard Brewer Spectrometer 39 also participated. In the mean, the Brewer instrument measured 0.6 plus or minus 0.2 (1 sigma) percent more ozone than did Dobson instrument 65. Results are presented, also, of ozone vertical profile measurements made with the Dobson instruments, two Brewer spectrometers, a LIDAR, a balloon ozonesonde flown from Hohenpeissenberg, Germany, and balloon ozonesondes flown from Payerne, Switzerland.

Flooding on Elbe River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Heavy rains in Central Europe over the past few weeks have led to some of the worst flooding the region has witnessed in more than a century. The floods have killed more than 100 people in Germany, Russia, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic and have led to as much as $20 billion in damage. This false-color image of the Elbe River and its tributaries was taken on August 20, 2002, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA's Terra satellite. The floodwaters that inundated Dresden, Germany, earlier this week have moved north. As can be seen, the river resembles a fairly large lake in the center of the image just south of the town of Wittenberg. Flooding was also bad further downriver in the towns of Maqgdeburge and Hitzacker. Roughly 20,000 people were evacuated from their homes in northern Germany. Fifty thousand troops, border police, and technical assistance workers were called in to combat the floods along with 100,000 volunteers. The floodwaters are not expected to badly affect Hamburg, which sits on the mouth of the river on the North Sea. Credit:Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC

Identification of a novel astrovirus in domestic sheep in Hungary.

PubMed

Reuter, Gábor; Pankovics, Péter; Delwart, Eric; Boros, Ákos

2012-02-01

The family Astroviridae consists of two genera, Avastrovirus and Mamastrovirus, whose members are associated with gastroenteritis in avian and mammalian hosts, respectively. We serendipitously identified a novel ovine astrovirus in a fecal specimen from a domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in Hungary by viral metagenomic analysis. Sequencing of the fragment indicated that it was an ORF1b/ORF2/3'UTR sequence, and it has been submitted to the GenBank database as ovine astrovirus type 2 (OAstV-2/Hungary/2009) with accession number JN592482. The unique sequence characteristics and the phylogenetic position of OAstV-2 suggest that genetically divergent lineages of astroviruses exist in sheep.

Situation Report--Argentina, France, Gambia, Grenada, Hungary, Nepal, and Paraguay.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in seven foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Argentina, France, Gambia, Grenada, Hungary, Nepal, and Paraguay. Information is provided, where appropriate and available, under two topics, general background and family planning situation. General…

Post-Socialist Restructuring and Population Redistribution in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David L.; Kulcsar, Laszlo J.; Kulcsar, Laszlo; Obadovics, Csilla

2005-01-01

This research focuses on pathways by which national level macro-social transformations are transmitted to local communities. Our case is Hungary where we examine the relationship between post-socialist economic restructuring, widespread industrial dislocations, and urban-rural migration. Using secondary data from the Hungarian Central Statistical…

On Voluntary Organizations in Hungary and the Netherlands.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katus, J., Ed.; Toth, Janos, Ed.

Twenty essays are provided from an educational scientific symposium organized within the frame of the Festival for Dutch Culture in Hungary. Titles and authors include "Environmental Movement and Environmental Information" J. C. Th. Alles); "Principal Educational and Self-Educational Problems of Independent Activity and Autonomy in…

Educational and Communal Centres in Hungary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenney, L.

In Hungary, the National Settlement Network Development Plan determines, to a great extent, the long-range organizational framework of public education and cultural affairs. In the capital, the educational center might easily become the pedagogical, cultural, communal, and sports center of the residential district. In the provinces, the basic…

Constructions of sexual relationships: a study of the views of young people in Catalunia, England and Slovakia and their health implications.

PubMed

Stenner, Paul H D; Bianchi, Gabriel; Popper, Miroslav; Supeková, Marianna; Luksík, Ivan; Pujol, Joan

2006-09-01

Q methodology was applied to investigate the views of young people from Catalunia, England and Slovakia regarding sexual relationships and their health implications. The Q sorts of 188 16-18-year-olds from these three diverse European regions were reduced by Q factor analysis to six clear accounts. These accounts are presented in relation to three emergent themes: (a) traditionalism/liberalism; (b) locus of responsibility; and (c) the relationship between sex and love, and these discursive themes are discussed in relation to health-salient criteria such as awareness of sex-related risk and corresponding implications for conduct.

Responsiveness to the hospital patient needs in Poland.

PubMed

Gromulska, Lucyna; Supranowicz, Piotr; Wysocki, Mirosław Jan

2014-01-01

The health system responsiveness, defined as non-medical aspect of treatment relating to the protection of the patients' legitimate rights, is the intrinsic goal of the WHO strategy for 21st century. To describe the patients' opinions on treatment they received in hospital, namely: admission to hospital, the role of patient in hospital treatment, course of treatment, medical workforce attitude, hospital environment, contact with family and friends, and the efficacy of hospital treatment in respect to responsiveness to patient's needs and expectations (dignity, autonomy, confidentiality, communication, prompt attention, social support, basic amenities and choice of provider). The data were collected in 2012 from 998 former patients of the randomly selected 73 hospital in Poland. Dignity: Over 80% of patients experienced kindness, empathy, care and gentleness, and over 90% of them had the sense of security in hospital, met with friendliness during the admission to hospital and never encountered inappropriate comments from medical staff. Autonomy: About 80% of patients accepted the active role of patients in hospital, they perceived they had influence on procedures related to hospitalization and course of treatment, and they felt medical staff responded to their requests and concerns. Over 90% of them had opportunity to communicate their concerns to medical staff and to discuss the course of treatment. On the other hand, the explanation of the reason for the refusal to meet their requests was given to only 23% of the patients interested. Confidentiality: 70-80% of patients declared the respect for privacy and confidentiality during collecting the health information and during medical examinations, and were not examined in presence of other people. Nevertheless, only 23% of patients examined so were asked of their consent. Communication: About 90% of patients declared they trusted their physician, received from him explanation regarding the course of treatment and information about further treatment after discharge from hospital, but physicians devoted the time and attention to only 70% of them. Prompt attention: Over 90% of patients perceived simplicity of the formalities of admission to hospital, and short waiting for treatment and additional tests in hospital (but only 50% received explanation of reason if they waited long). Nevertheless, 10% of them % of them perceived they waited for admission to hospital too long, and over 20% for admission to a ward as long. Social support: The unlimited direct and phone contact with family and friends was declared by 96% of patients. Basic amenities: The high percentage of patients assessed positively the marking in hospital (97%) and cleanliness of linen (89%), followed by the general indoor appearance room in which patient stayed, lack of noise (70-80%), hospital meals, furniture (60-70%), availability of personal hygienic articles (50-60%), cleanliness of hospital room, toilet, showers and bathtubs, and availability of soap (40-50%). Choice of provider: Only 41% of patients declared that they had influence on choice of the hospital. Responsiveness of Polish hospital patient needs is similar to that of the OECD countries of the lowest health system responsiveness. Compared to the Central European countries, the responsiveness in Polish hospitals is lower than that of Czech Republic and only slightly higher of those of Slovenia, Slovakia and Hungary.

Teaching Linear Equations: Case Studies from Finland, Flanders and Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Paul; Sayers, Judy

2012-01-01

In this paper we compare how three teachers, one from each of Finland, Flanders and Hungary, introduce linear equations to grade 8 students. Five successive lessons were videotaped and analysed qualitatively to determine how teachers, each of whom was defined against local criteria as effective, addressed various literature-derived…

Genetic Characterization of Providence Virus Isolated from Bat Guano in Hungary

PubMed Central

Kemenesi, Gábor; Földes, Fanni; Zana, Brigitta; Kurucz, Kornélia; Estók, Péter; Boldogh, Sándor; Görföl, Tamás; Bányai, Krisztián; Oldal, Miklós

2016-01-01

We report the complete genome sequence and genetic characterization of a novel strain of Providence virus, detected in Barbastella barbastellus bat guano, collected in Hungary in 2014. Our data may facilitate the understanding of the evolutionary processes of this unique viral family of Carmotetraviridae. PMID:27198029

A Special Issue: Geomathematics in practice: Case studies from earth- and environmental sciences - Proceedings of the Croatian-Hungarian Geomathematical Congress, Hungary 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatvani, István Gábor; Horváth, Janina

2016-01-01

The present paper aims to introduce the current problems of geomathematics along with giving on overview on the papers published in the special issue covering the Croatian-Hungarian Geomathematical Congress of 2015 in Hungary.

Political Education in Hungary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szabo, Mate

1989-01-01

The contradictions of political education in East European socialist countries based on the Hungarian experience are explored in this paper. Divided into three parts, the first part gives a brief sketch of institutionalized political education, while the second concerns the crisis of Hungary's political education emerging in the 1980s. In the…

Changes in the Booktrade and Publishing in Hungary 1985-1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorincz, Judit

1995-01-01

Assesses the chaotic state of Hungary's booktrade and publishing industries. Presents a historical background that discusses the shift from centralized book distribution to a market economy and tables that reveal publishing trends. Impacts on the publishing industry include disruption of Hungarian traditions and development of alternative book…

Evaluation of different smoking habits during music festivals through wastewater analysis.

PubMed

Mackuľak, Tomáš; Grabic, Roman; Gál, Marián; Gál, Miroslav; Birošová, Lucia; Bodík, Igor

2015-11-01

Wastewater analysis is a powerful method that can provide useful information about the abuse of legal and illicit drugs. The aim of our study was to determine nicotine consumption during four different music festivals and to find a connection between smoking and preferences for specific music styles using wastewater analysis. The amount of the nicotine metabolite cotinine was monitored in wastewater at the influent of three waste water treatment plants WWTPs in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where the festivals took place. Urinary bio-markers of nicotine utilization were analyzed by LC-HRMS. More than 80,000 festival participants were monitored during our study from June to September 2014. A significant increase of nicotine consumption was observed in wastewaters during music festivals. The nicotine ingestion level was back-calculated and expressed as mass of pure drug consumed per day and per 1000 inhabitants for selected cities of both countries. The highest differences between typical levels of cotinine in wastewaters and the levels during music festivals were detected in Piešťany: 4 g/L/1000 inhabitants during non-festival days compared to 8 g/L/1000 inhabitants during the Topfest pop-rock festival and 6g/L/1000 inhabitants during the Grape dance festival. No significant increase of the amounts of cotinine in wastewater was recorded for the Country and Folk festivals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changing direction: the struggle of regulating assisted reproductive technology in Austria.

PubMed

Griessler, Erich; Hager, Mariella

2016-12-01

From 1992 until 2015, Austria had a very restrictive Reproductive Medicine Law (FMedG, 1992) that prohibited a number of treatments such as egg donation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), heterologous sperm donation for IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) as well as general access to assisted reproductive technology for same-sex couples. As one consequence of this rather prohibitive law, Austrian physicians active in the area of assisted reproductive technology co-operated with, or had daughter institutes in, countries with less restrictive legislation such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are only a few hours' drive away. For a long time, liberalisation of the Reproductive Medicine Law was blocked by the fierce and seemingly unresolvable struggle between the restrictive conservative party (ÖVP) and the permissive social democrats' party (SPÖ). In 2014 the impasse, which had lasted for decades, was finally resolved in favour of a more liberal Reproductive Medicine Law that permits egg donation, PGD in some cases and heterologous sperm donation for IVF/ICSI and lesbian couples. Assisted reproductive technology treatments for single women and surrogate motherhood remain prohibited. The new Reproductive Medicine Law was heavily opposed by the Catholic Church, by some conservatives and by disability associations. By applying the concept of political culture, this paper explains why a liberalisation of the Reproductive Medicine Law was blocked for decades, and how the sudden policy change came about.

[A new specialty is born: Vascular medicine].

PubMed

Laroche, J-P

2016-05-01

On the 4th of December 2015, the French authorities officially recognized the birth of a specialty in vascular medicine entitled CO-DES cardiology-vascular/vascular Medicine. France is the 7th country to obtain this specialty after Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia, six countries in the EEC. It has taken years to achieve a long but exciting experience: we went from hopes to disappointments, sometimes with the blues, but lobbying helping… with sustained confidence. This article tells the story of 30 years of struggle to achieve this vascular medicine specialty. Gaston Bachelard wrote: "Nothing is obvious, nothing is given, all is built." For the construction of vascular medicine, we had to overcome many obstacles, nothing was given to us, everything was conquered. Beware "The specialist is one who knows more and more things about an increasingly restricted field, up to 'knowing everything about nothing"' recalled Ralph Barton Ferry, philosopher; so there is room for modesty and humility but also convictions. The physical examination will remain the basis of our exercise. But let us recall the contributions of all those vascular physicians who practiced in the past, together with those currently active, who built day after day, year after year, a vascular medicine of quality. It is because of the trust of our colleagues and our patients that we can occupy the place that is ours today. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

‘If you pay, we'll operate immediately'

PubMed Central

Miller, W.; Grodeland, A.; Koshechkina, T.

2000-01-01

Objectives—To study the attitudes of health care staff in four postcommunist countries towards taking gifts from their clients—and their confessed experience of actually taking such gifts. Design—Survey questionnaire administered to officials including health care staff, supplemented by focus-group discussions with the general public. Setting – Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Participants—A quota sample of 1,307 officials including 292 health care staff, supplemented by stratified national random samples of 4,778 ordinary members of the public and in-depth interviews or focus-group discussions involving another 323. Main measurements—Explicit justifications and willingness to accept offers, reported frequency of offers, and personal confessions to accepting "money and expensive presents" as well as smaller gifts. Results—Health care staff were far more inclined than the average official or public servant to accept "money or an expensive present" if offered, far more inclined to justify asking clients for "extra payments", and far more inclined to confess that they had actually taken gifts from clients recently. Judged by their own confessions, hospital doctors were only rivalled by traffic police and customs officials for taking money or expensive gifts from their clients. Conclusions—Poor pay does not explain why doctors so often took large gifts from their clients. Moral self justification, opportunity, and bargaining power are much more effective explanations. Key Words: Gifts • justification • gratitude • extortion • confession PMID:11055030

Long-term changes in CO2 emissions in Austria and Czechoslovakia—Identifying the drivers of environmental pressures

PubMed Central

Gingrich, Simone; Kušková, Petra; Steinberger, Julia K.

2011-01-01

This study presents fossil-fuel related CO2 emissions in Austria and Czechoslovakia (current Czech Republic and Slovakia) for 1830–2000. The drivers of CO2 emissions are discussed by investigating the variables of the standard Kaya identity for 1920–2000 and conducting a comparative Index Decomposition Analysis. Proxy data on industrial production and household consumption are analysed to understand the role of the economic structure. CO2 emissions increased in both countries in the long run. Czechoslovakia was a stronger emitter of CO2 throughout the time period, but per-capita emissions significantly differed only after World War I, when Czechoslovakia and Austria became independent. The difference in CO2 emissions increased until the mid-1980s (the period of communism in Czechoslovakia), explained by the energy intensity and the composition effects, and higher industrial production in Czechoslovakia. Counterbalancing factors were the income effect and household consumption. After the Velvet revolution in 1990, Czechoslovak CO2 emissions decreased, and the energy composition effect (and industrial production) lost importance. Despite their different political and economic development, Austria and Czechoslovakia reached similar levels of per-capita CO2 emissions in the late 20th century. Neither Austrian “eco-efficiency” nor Czechoslovak restructuring have been effective in reducing CO2 emissions to a sustainable level. PMID:21461052

Situation Report - Bulgaria, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, and Yugoslavia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

Data relating to population and family planning in eight foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Bulgaria, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, and Yugoslavia. Information is provided in the following areas where appropriate and if it is available: (1) statistics on population, birth…

Ethnicizing Poverty through Social Security Provision in Rural Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwarcz, Gyongyi

2012-01-01

Rural poverty has become an increasingly ethnicised category for the majority society in contemporary Hungary. The article aims to explore the process and practice of social exclusion and ethnicisation in relation to mutual effects of post-socialist welfare restructuring and changing discourse on poverty in the post-socialist rural reality. The…

Development of Integrated Public Administration Custom Services in Hungary.

PubMed

Laki, Tamas

2015-01-01

The paper is a case-study introducing a national project in Hungary establishing a countrywide public administration customer service system where accessibility was a key issue. Starting from the concept the paper describes the methods and organisational background how accessible design was integrated in the planning method and gives a feedback of site experiences.

Academic Culture and Citizenship in Transitional Societies: Case Studies from China and Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szelényi, Katalin; Rhoads, Robert A.

2013-01-01

Through organizational case studies conducted at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in China and Central European University in Hungary, this paper examines academic culture and citizenship in societies transitioning from communist to market-driven social and economic structures. The article presents a new model of citizenship, representing…

Age Group, Location or Pedagogue: Factors Affecting Parental Choice of Kindergartens in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teszenyi, Eleonora; Hevey, Denise

2015-01-01

Hungary has experienced significant political, economic, demographic and social changes since the end of Soviet domination in the 1990s. The gradual move towards liberal democracy has been accompanied by growing emphasis on individualism, choice and diversity. Universal kindergarten provision for five- to six-year-olds is a long established…

The Hard Work of Interpretation: The National Politics of PISA Reception in Hungary and Romania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, Eszter; Kiss, Adel; Fejes, Ildiko

2012-01-01

This article discusses the dynamic interaction between global policy and knowledge flows and two post-communist education systems--Hungary and Romania--with special attention to the appropriation of post-bureaucratic regulation tools and the structural changes enhanced by the knowledge transmitted by the Programme for International Student…

Female Representation in the Higher Education of Geography in Hungary. Symposium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timar, Judit; Jelenszkyne, Ildiko Fabian

2004-01-01

This paper charts the changing female representation in the higher education of geography, connecting it with the faltering development of feminist geography in Hungary. The transition from socialism to capitalism has compounded gender inequalities while many of the relevant statistical data display gender blindness. Gender issues fail to form a…

Serbian: The Serbian Language in Education in Hungary. Regional Dossiers Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulik, Anton, Comp.; Solymosi, Judit, Comp.

2014-01-01

This regional dossier aims at providing a concise description of and basic statistics on minority language education in a specific region of Europe--the territory of Magyarország (Hungary). Aspects that are addressed include features of the education system, recent educational policies, main actors, legal arrangements, and support structures, as…

Building New Relationships through Intercultural Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szecsi, Tunde

2007-01-01

During the past six months the author was fortunate to travel to Hungary three times. Although all three trips had different purposes, they had one thing in common: professional conversations between colleagues from Hungary and the United States. In this article, the author would like to provide a short overview of these visits, which resulted in…

Exploring Our Roots. Fulbright-Hayes Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2002 (Hungary and Poland).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Nancy Ann Zrinyi

The lesson plan developed in this project presents the author's experience of searching for her roots during a summer seminar spent in Hungary, the land of her ancestors. Following an introduction, the project provides a summary syllabus for developmental writing students in an English literature and composition course, "Exploring Our…

A Chronicle of School Music Education in Hungary, 1700-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiss, Boglarka

2013-01-01

This inquiry is a chronological overview of the history of school music education in Hungary. The study explores the topic from a large-scale humanistic perspective, in which historical context, general education laws, individual institutions and music educators, as well as music curriculum, textbooks, and teaching methods serve as evidence. The…

Youth Unemployment and Labour Market Transitions in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Audas, Rick; Berde, Eva; Dolton, Peter

2005-01-01

Unemployment and labour market adjustment have featured prominently in the problems of transitional economies. However, the position of young people and their transitions from school to work in these new market economies has been virtually ignored. This paper examines a new large longitudinal data set relating to young people in Hungary over the…

Genetic Characterization of Providence Virus Isolated from Bat Guano in Hungary.

PubMed

Kemenesi, Gábor; Földes, Fanni; Zana, Brigitta; Kurucz, Kornélia; Estók, Péter; Boldogh, Sándor; Görföl, Tamás; Bányai, Krisztián; Oldal, Miklós; Jakab, Ferenc

2016-05-19

We report the complete genome sequence and genetic characterization of a novel strain of Providence virus, detected in Barbastella barbastellus bat guano, collected in Hungary in 2014. Our data may facilitate the understanding of the evolutionary processes of this unique viral family of Carmotetraviridae. Copyright © 2016 Kemenesi et al.

The Rationalisation of the Body: Physical Education in Hungary in the Nineteenth Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadas, Miklos

2009-01-01

This article highlights how "turnen", the modernised form of earlier gymnastic exercises, emerged in Hungary in the second part of the nineteenth century. It is argued that although the advocates of the "turnen" movement are gradually squeezed from the spheres of modern competitive sports, their strategies of expansion are…

The Diversification of the Educational Field in Hungary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inkei, Peter; And Others

Education throughout the world has become increasingly diversified, moving from the traditional education of children to increasingly more education of adults outside formal school settings. This case study on Hungary is one of a series of studies that were conducted to map out the different components of the diversified educational field and…

Supporting Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Higher Education in Hungary. OECD Skills Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

This report presents evidence-based analysis of current strategies and practices in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Hungary towards a value-creating use of knowledge resources for innovation and entrepreneurship. The analysis and recommendations are highly relevant for policy makers and HEI leaders in other countries. Increased attention…

Education of Roma Youth in Hungary: Schools, Identities and Belonging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunajeva, Jekatyerina

2017-01-01

Historically, schools have been homogenizing institutions that often disadvantaged people of color and ethnic and religious minorities. In this article I examine Roma education in Hungary, focusing on (re)production of racial identities and the negotiation of ethnic labels. I distinguish two models of education as they relate to ideas of…

Early Childhood Socialization: Societal Context and Childrearing Values in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brayfield, April; Korintus, Marta

2011-01-01

This article examines the socio-cultural context of early childhood socialization in Hungary. Using a macroscopic lens, we describe the national demographic situation and the social organization of early childhood education and care. Our analysis then shifts to a microscopic focus on parental values and beliefs about the substance of what young…

Changing climate in Hungary and trends in the annual number of heat stress days

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solymosi, Norbert; Torma, Csaba; Kern, Anikó; Maróti-Agóts, Ákos; Barcza, Zoltán; Könyves, László; Berke, Olaf; Reiczigel, Jenő

2010-07-01

Global climate change can have serious direct effects on animal health and production through heat stress. In Hungary, the number of heat stress days per year (YNHD), i.e., days when the temperature humidity index (THI) is above a specific comfort threshold, has increased in recent years based on observed meteorological data. Between 1973 and 2008, the countrywide average increase in YNHD was 4.1% per year. Climate scenarios based on regional climate models (RCM) were used to predict possible changes in YNHD for the near future (2021-2050) relative to the reference period (1961-1990). This comparison shows that, in Hungary, the 30-year mean of YNHD is expected to increase by between 1 and 27 days, depending on the RCM used. Half of the scenarios investigated in this study predicted that, in large parts of Hungary, YNHD will increase by at least 1 week. However, the increase observed in the past, and that predicted for the near future, is spatially heterogeneous, and areas that currently have large cattle populations are expected to be affected more severely than other regions.

[Dental care for foreigners in Hungary].

PubMed

Balázs, Péter; Oesterle, August

2008-10-01

High quality elective dental care for foreign patients was not exceptional in Hungary before the collapse of the old regime in 1989. Nevertheless, it became business as usual only in the new era thanks to the open state borders and the international competitive market environment. Unfortunately, no scientific study concerning this phenomenon has been conducted so far, however its professional and economic significance has been indicated by day-to-day experience. Additionally, the term "dental tourism" also used in international scientific papers became a commonplace in Hungary with unfavourable connotations. The present survey was the first to study this phenomenon by scientific standards in the most involved areas, namely in the capital city Budapest and in three counties in the Western Hungarian Region. Data collecting was performed by a self-reported questionnaire sent via conventional mail to all members of the Dental Section of the Hungarian Medical Chamber practicing in those indicated regions. Respond rates were 20.65% in Budapest and 25.34% in Western Hungary. The sample obtained this way, clearly indicated dimensions of cross-border patient migration and its economic significance as well. In Western Hungary 80.81% of foreign patients came from the neighbouring Austria and two out of ten practices realized 40 to 100% of their income out of this business. In Budapest foreign patients' nationality was more diversified. The largest group arrived from the United Kingdom (9.93%). Nevertheless the economic impact of dental tourism in Budapest is not relevant and outbalanced by a considerable domestic demand on the local private market.

Genotyping of Coxiella burnetii from domestic ruminants and human in Hungary: indication of various genotypes.

PubMed

Sulyok, Kinga M; Kreizinger, Zsuzsa; Hornstra, Heidie M; Pearson, Talima; Szigeti, Alexandra; Dán, Ádám; Balla, Eszter; Keim, Paul S; Gyuranecz, Miklós

2014-05-07

Information about the genotypic characteristic of Coxiella burnetii from Hungary is lacking. The aim of this study is to describe the genetic diversity of C. burnetii in Hungary and compare genotypes with those found elsewhere. A total of 12 samples: (cattle, n = 6, sheep, n = 5 and human, n = 1) collected from across Hungary were studied by a 10-loci multispacer sequence typing (MST) and 6-loci multiple-locus variable-number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Phylogenetic relationships among MST genotypes show how these Hungarian samples are related to others collected around the world. Three MST genotypes were identified: sequence type (ST) 20 has also been identified in ruminants from other European countries and the USA, ST28 was previously identified in Kazakhstan, and the proposed ST37 is novel. All MST genotypes yielded different MLVA genotypes and three different MLVA genotypes were identified within ST20 samples alone. Two novel MLVA types 0-9-5-5-6-2 (AG) and 0-8-4-5-6-2 (AF) (Ms23-Ms24-Ms27-Ms28-Ms33-Ms34) were defined in the ovine materials correlated with ST28 and ST37. Samples from different parts of the phylogenetic tree were associated with different hosts, suggesting host-specific adaptations. Even with the limited number of samples analysed, this study revealed high genetic diversity among C. burnetii in Hungary. Understanding the background genetic diversity will be essential in identifying and controlling outbreaks.

Psychosocial determinants of premature cardiovascular mortality differences within Hungary.

PubMed

Kopp, Maria; Skrabski, Arpád; Szántó, Zsuzsa; Siegrist, Johannes

2006-09-01

The life expectancy gap between Central-Eastern European (CEE) countries, including Hungary, and Western Europe (WE) is mainly attributable to excess cardiovascular (CV) mortality in midlife. This study explores the contribution of socioeconomic, work related, psychosocial, and behavioural variables to explaining variations of middle aged male and female CV mortality across 150 sub-regions in Hungary. Cross sectional, ecological analyses. 150 sub-regions of Hungary. 12 643 people were interviewed in Hungarostudy 2002 survey, representing the Hungarian population according to sex, age, and sub-regions. Independent variables were income, education, control in work, job insecurity, weekend working hours, social support, depression, hostility, anomie, smoking, body mass index, and alcohol misuse. Gender specific standardised premature (45-64 years) total CV, ischaemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular mortality rates in 150 sub-regions of Hungary. Low education and income were the most important determinants of mid-aged CV mortality differences across sub-regions. High weekend workload, low social support at work, and low control at work account for a large part of variation in male premature CV mortality rates, whereas job insecurity, high weekend workload, and low control at work contribute most noticeably to variations in premature CV mortality rates among women. Low social support from friends, depression, anomie, hostility, alcohol misuse and cigarette smoking can also explain a considerable part of variations of premature CV mortality differences. Variations in middle aged CV mortality rates in a rapidly changing society in CEE are largely accounted for by distinct unfavourable working and other psychosocial stress conditions.

Teaching and Learning Science in Hungary, 1867-1945: Schools, Personalities, Influences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, Tibor

2012-03-01

The article provides an overview of the development of teaching science in Hungary during both the time of the dual monarchy and the newly established independent Hungary after 1920. The integration of Hungary into the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (1867-1918) strengthened the effect of German speaking European science, the results of which were quickly channelled into the Hungarian school system at all levels. The Hungarian Academy as well as the University of Budapest (today Eötvös Loránd University) played a leading role in the „nationalization" of European science in the educational system. Scientific developments in Hungary strengthened the position of rational and secular thinking in a highly religious society and contributed to the erosion of the mental power of the church tradition, particularly that of the Roman Catholic Church. Toward World War I, influenced by the Protestant Churches, the Jewish tradition, and agnosticism, the public picture of science became more international, occasionally ready to consider challenges of the accepted world view, and sometimes less dogmatic. Leading Hungarian figures with an international reputation who played a decisive role in making science part of Hungarian thinking included the physicists Baron Loránd Eötvös and Sándor Mikola, the mathematicians László Rácz and George Pólya as well as a host of others in related fields. Emigration, mostly Jewish, after World War I, contributed to the curtailment of efforts to teach science effectively as some of the best people left Hungary for, mostly, Germany, Britain, and the United States. However, the interwar school system, the Hungarian version of the German Gymnasium, continued to disseminate scientific thought in Hungarian education. Much of the information was foreign and appeared simply in translation—but an impressive array of indigeneous scientific results paved the way to a larger educated middle class then in the making.

HIGHLIGHTS AND IMPACTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PLANET EARTH IN HUNGARY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szarka, L.; Adam, J.; Brezsnyanszky, K.

2009-12-01

International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) activities of various geo-science associations, universities, research institutes and private companies in Hungary have been successfully coordinated by the Hungarian National Committee, which was established by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the UNESCO- and the IUGS National Committees. The National Launch Event (April 17, 2008) was followed with a four-days long “Earth Science Fair” at the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest. The IYPE was even briefly reviewed in the Hungarian Parliament. The Science Festival, organized annually by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in 2008 had a special IYPE-inspired slogan: “Science for the Habitable Earth”, where lectures were held about the modern content of the Greek Classical Elements (“earth”, “water”, “air” and “fire”, that is energy) and about the Humanity. In 2008/2009 numerous publications (including the Hungarian version of the IYPE booklet series, under the title GEO-FIFIKA, and the “Geological Map of Hungary for tourists” were produced. Throughout the country, symposia, contests, film shows (e.g., the movie “Another Planet”) and other performances were organized, with increasing media coverage. The worldwide premier of the Planet Earth TV took place in Hungary, on the occasion of the IAGA 11th Scientific Assembly (August 23-30, 2009). One of our conferences (“Earth and Heaven - Geology and Theology”) pointed out that there should be no conflict between science and religion, either in the fields of Earth’s history or evolution. Science (and only science) is able to give reliable knowledge how Nature works, and the investigation of the “ultimate Why” (i.e. the “Primordial Cause”) should be left to religions. At the same time, there are antagonistic conflicts between science and pseudo-science, and also between religions and pseudo-religions. Among the scientific programmes the activity of Geological Institute of Hungary in the OneGeology initiative should be at first mentioned. In 2007/2008, among the main environmental challenges, it was exclusively the so-called “global warming” in the focal point of public interest in Hungary. By now, the importance of soil, groundwater and energy have been also recognized, largely (or at least partly) due to IYPE. This is perhaps the largest result of the IYPE in Hungary.

Suggestion for the Implementation of the Bologna Declaration in Hungary in Engineering Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molnar, Karoly; Jobbagy, Akos

2004-01-01

The countries that signed the Bologna Declaration need also to modify their engineering programmes accordingly. In Hungary some modifications are necessary independently of the Bologna Declaration. The number of students has increased by a factor of three during the past decade without an increase in the number of staff. The consequence is…

Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe. Hungary 2007/08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodoczky, Istvan

2008-01-01

This paper focuses on Hungary's arts and cultural education. The cultural area "arts" has the following sub-areas: music, dance and drama, visual culture, film and media. In accordance with the contemporary approach to art, these are all independent branches of art. Although they have a number of common features, they are very different…

Choice of School and Career, and Its System of Motivation in Hungary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiss, Erno; Schuttler, Tamas

In Hungary, a countrywide survey of school and/or career choice intentions among seventh-grade primary school pupils was complemented by an examination of the motives playing a role in the choice. School achievement was the strongest factor that decides the tendency of the intention of choosing a secondary school. Regarding career choices, the…

Forest health status in Hungary

Treesearch

Andras Szepesi

1998-01-01

Because Hungary has about 18 percent forest area, it is not as densely forested as most of the countries in Europe. Forests are dominated by native species such as oaks, beech, hornbeam, and other broadleaves. As a result of an intensive afforestation in the last 50 years, introduced species, such as black locust, Scots pine, and improved poplars were widely planted...

Different Cultures, Different Students, Same Test: Comparing Math Skills of Hungarian and American College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Barbara A.; Randall, Cindy H.; Frederick, Joshua; Gáll, József; Jones, Thomas W.

2012-01-01

In recent decades, Hungary and the United States have embraced new philosophies in their approach to teaching mathematics. Hungary's changes were driven by social and economic shifts, the U.S. by the creation of national standards. In both countries, university faculty members complain about students' poor math skills. Professors from three…

Hungarian-Russian Bilingual Schools in Hungary during the Soviet Occupation (1945-1989)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vamos, Agnes

2018-01-01

Through the example of the establishment, functioning, and closing of bilingual schools during the Soviet occupation of Hungary, this paper aims to introduce this segment of public education in Central-Eastern Europe. In the period between 1945 and 1989, the learning of Russian as a compulsory subject was introduced, teaching other languages was…

An Overview of the Current Status of Talent Care and Talent Support in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuszek, Csilla

2014-01-01

After a short historical introduction, the article provides an overview of the current talent support trends in Hungary. It gives an insight into the legislation, guidelines and institutional system associated with the national talent support strategy, and presents the main NGO initiatives present in the early 21st century, in particular the…

What Do We Learn about Technical Communication in Hungary through My Students and My Hungarian Colleagues: An Initial Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Daniel D.

2018-01-01

Very few articles exist that document technical communication in Hungary. My Fulbright research reveals two general points: First, technical communication pedagogy stresses correct use of professional terms and phrases in technical translations or technical articles for fictional audiences. Second, it does not emphasize the importance of…

Biotic agents that damage black locust in Hungary

Treesearch

Jozsef Toth

2003-01-01

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) plays an important role in Hungarian forestry and represents 21.6% of the total forested area (370 thousand hectares); approximately 19.2% of the area in Hungary is forested. Black locust forests have increased by more than one percent over the last 5 years demonstrating that it is a preferred tree species...

Aggressive Neighborhood Watch or Unconventional Threat? The Hungarian Extreme Right-Wing Self-Defense Movements

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

financial ills continued with a downgrading of its credit rating to junk status. The EU then suspended payment to Hungary. By the end of the year Hungary...opened political space and attracted even more extremist groups and ideologies. As a result, the emergence of one of their proxies, the Sixty-four

Peer Helpers in Hungary: A Qualitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Racz, Jozsef; Lacko, Zsuzsa

2008-01-01

Hungary is a country in transition that has no real tradition of peer helping. A qualitative study was carried out involving 13 peer helpers of two kinds (a) age-based peers, and (b) way-of-life-based peers (fellow helpers). The motivations for and the processes of becoming a peer helper were analyzed. Results showed the largest difference being…

Echinococcus multilocularis: An Emerging Pathogen in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe?

PubMed Central

Sréter, Tamás; Széll, Zoltán; Egyed, Zsuzsa

2003-01-01

Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, is reported for the first time in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary. This parasite may be spreading eastward because the population of foxes has increased because of human interventions, and this spread may result in the emergence of alveolar echinococcosis in Central Eastern Europe. PMID:12643838

The Bologna Process as a Trojan Horse: Restructuring Higher Education in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pusztai, Gabriella; Szabo, Peter Cs.

2008-01-01

Changes in higher education in Hungary are strongly related to those in the economic and social environment. Since the change of the political system in the late 1980s, Hungarian economic development has been marked by periods of contraction and expansion. Notwithstanding this process, influenced in part by the state's imposition of restrictive…

Hungary: Reform of Social Policy and Expenditures. A World Bank Country Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Bank, Washington, DC.

This study evaluates the overall social policy system of Hungary and proposes reforms aimed at strengthening its role as a defense against poverty, raising the quality and equity of social programs, ensuring financial sustainability of the system, and restoring incentives (in particular relating to demand and supply for labor) suitable to a market…

[Euthanasia].

PubMed

Julesz, Máté

2013-04-28

The problem of euthanasia emerges again and again in today's Europe. The Dutch type of regulation of euthanasia could be introduced into the Hungarian legal system. Today, in Hungary, the ethical guidelines of the chamber of medicine, the criminal law and the administrative health law also forbid active euthanasia. In Hungary, the criminal code reform of 2012 missed to liberalise the regulation of euthanasia. Such liberalisation awaits bottom-up support from the part of the society. In Europe, active euthanasia is legal only in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg and Switzerland. In Hungary, a passive form of euthanasia is legal, i.e. a dying patient may, under strict procedural circumstances, refuse medical treatment. The patient is not allowed to refuse medical treatment, if she is pregnant and foreseeably capable to give birth to her child.